Bioplastics can play a greater role in an economy that wants to become less dependent on oil and gas. This is stated by European Bioplastics in a new publication on sustainable biomass for bioplastics. The trade association views bio-based plastics as an important building block for the European bio-economy. At the same time, the publication touches upon a sensitive point in the biomass debate, namely the use of agricultural land and potential competition with food.
Plastic needs carbon
Making the chemical industry more sustainable is different from making electricity more sustainable. Electricity can be generated using wind turbines, solar panels, or other non-fossil sources. For plastics, the situation is more complicated. Plastic consists largely of carbon. This carbon currently comes primarily from fossil raw materials such as oil and gas.
Biobased plastics use carbon from biological sources. These can be agricultural crops, such as maize, wheat, sugar beet, or sugarcane. However, residual streams from agriculture, forestry, and industry can also play a role. European Bioplastics names starch, sugar, and vegetable oils as important raw materials for the current sector. In addition, the industry is looking at sources such as straw, bagasse, wood pulp, bark, branches, lignin, and organic residual streams.
Biobased carbon is still a small part of chemistry
According to European Bioplastics, approximately 5,5 percent of the carbon demand of the European chemical sector was bio-based in 2023. The remainder therefore still came primarily from fossil sources. The trade association states that the share of bio-based carbon must grow significantly if the chemical industry wants to become less fossil-based by 2050.
That makes the discussion about raw materials more important. If more plastics, coatings, adhesives, and other chemical products are made from biocarbon, the demand for biomass increases. Then it is not just a question of how much biomass is available. It is also a question of where that biomass has the most value.
Land use for bioplastics is currently small
European Bioplastics states that current land use for bioplastics is very limited. According to the organization, the global production capacity of bioplastics amounted to approximately 2,47 million tonnes in 2024. This required an estimated 0,624 million hectares of agricultural land. According to European Bioplastics' calculation, this is approximately 0,013 percent of the global agricultural area of 4,8 billion hectares.
With these figures, the organization aims to demonstrate that bioplastics currently place hardly any strain on agricultural land. European Bioplastics also states that the impact on land use can remain limited if the sector continues to grow. This is an important claim, as bioplastics regularly face criticism due to potential competition with food production.
Global figures do not tell the whole story
The figures show that bioplastics currently use only a small portion of the global agricultural land area. However, land use is more than just a percentage on a global scale. It matters where crops are grown, which crops are used, how the soil is managed, and whether pressure is placed on nature, water, or food production.
European Bioplastics itself states that the sustainable sourcing of raw materials is a prerequisite. According to the organization, deforestation, damage caused by poor agricultural practices, and violations of social criteria must be prevented. Certification can help with this. The organization mentions, among other things, existing systems for sustainable biomass and guidelines from the European Renewable Energy Directive.
The European Commission is also cautious in its wording. According to the Commission, bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics can be a more sustainable alternative to fossil plastics. At the same time, they bring with them their own sustainability questions and trade-offs. In this regard, the Commission mentions, among other things, raw material use, labelling, application, and post-use processing.
Biobased is not the same as biodegradable
In public debate, concepts are often confused. Biobased plastic means that the raw material comes wholly or partially from biological sources. This does not automatically say anything about its biodegradability. A biobased plastic can have the same properties as a fossil-based plastic and therefore not break down naturally in nature.
Conversely, a biodegradable or compostable plastic can also contain fossil raw materials. The European Commission points out that compostable plastics usually only break down under specific conditions, for example in industrial composting facilities. They must therefore be collected separately.
That distinction is important for consumers, businesses, and waste processors. Biobased packaging does not automatically belong in green waste. And compostable packaging only offers a benefit if the waste chain is set up for it.
Recycling remains necessary
Biobased plastics can replace fossil carbon with biogenic carbon. In doing so, they can help reduce dependence on oil and gas. However, they do not solve the plastic problem automatically. Biobased plastics, too, must be designed so that they can be reused or recycled.
The European Commission emphasizes that biodegradable and compostable plastics are particularly suitable for applications where reduction, reuse, or recycling are not feasible. This aligns with the waste hierarchy, in which prevention and reuse take precedence over recycling and processing.
Therefore, a dual challenge remains for the plastics sector. The carbon source must become less fossil-based, but materials must also remain better integrated into circular systems. Without proper collection and processing, even bio-based plastic remains a waste problem.
The choice for biomass is becoming stricter.
The discussion also touches upon Dutch and European policy. As the demand for bio-based raw materials grows, the question naturally arises as to which applications take priority. Will sugars, starch, and residual streams go to packaging, building materials, chemicals, fuels, or soil improvement?
Bioplastics can help replace fossil carbon, especially in applications where there are few alternatives. However, that role becomes stronger if the raw materials are sustainable, production is transparent, and the material is reused or recycled after use.
The publication by European Bioplastics shows that current land use for bioplastics is limited. This is a relevant fact in a debate that is often conducted sharply. At the same time, it is a sector publication. The figures provide direction but do not negate the broader considerations. As the demand for biobased carbon grows, the question of how Europe allocates available biomass across food, materials, chemicals, energy, and soil also becomes more important.
Source: european-bioplastics.org
Photo created using AI for illustration
