North American Biopolymer Summit
November 2019
Green Dot Bioplastics executive offers solutions to the plastic waste issue at the inaugural North American Biopolymer Summit.
Sarah Harbaugh, Sales and Marketing Director of Emporia-based Green Dot Bioplastics, spoke at the inaugural North American Biopolymer Summit in Chicago, Illinois, in November.
Presented by Active Communications International (ACI), the event brought together senior executives and experts from biopolymers manufacturers, food packaging, raw materials, technology and chemical companies and major associations to discuss the latest changes, challenges and developments within the industry.
Harbaugh’s mission was the educate the audience about the benefits of combining the use of compostable plastics and recycling to address the plastic waste problem we currently face.
“Recycling alone will not eliminate the plastic waste problem we have today. Compostable plastics alone will not eliminate the plastic waste problem we have today. Both are part of the solution that will need to complement each other,” Harbaugh said. “We must also select the right type of plastic for the application and consider how it can functionally be disposed of at the end of its useful life.”
Compostable plastics can help reduce landfill waste, especially when used for foodservice in conjunction with composting of food waste, and in many packaging applications. In some cases, such as mulch films, biodegradability provides products with a functional advantage.
Opting for recycled plastic over virgin-based plastic feedstock yields tremendous energy savings. Upcycling reclaimed and recycled materials into biocomposites used for high-quality durable goods not only lightens the environmental footprint of these products but also creates and expands markets for waste materials that may otherwise be discarded in a landfill.
Green Dot Bioplastics develops and produces bioplastics that are non-toxic and plant-based, yet retain the strength and capability to be as flexible or as stiff as traditional plastics.
