BIS: No plastic is 100% biodegradable. Don’t mislead public

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has stated that there is no 100% biodegradable plastic available in India, despite claims made by some companies for marketing purposes. Any such claims or ‘greenwashing’ are considered misleading under the Consumer Protection Act and may result in legal action.

The BIS has recommended against the labeling of any plastic products as biodegradable, and the Central Pollution Control Board and the environment ministry have accepted this recommendation. Tests of plastic products claiming to be biodegradable are currently underway at the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, and none have yet passed the test. The government only grants certificates to compostable plastic manufacturers, which is different from certificates for biodegradable plastic manufacturers.

Some scientists are even questioning whether biodegradable plastic is a myth, and BIS has published a provisional standard for the assessment of biodegradability of plastic under different conditions. The manufacturers or advertisers must keep scientific evidence for the claims they make while advertising their products, reports The Times of India.