Green Printing and Plastic: No Longer Strange Bedfellows

Technically, all bio- and petroleum-based plastics are biodegradable, meaning they can be broken down or degraded by microbes under suitable conditions; however, for all practical purposes, many degrade so slowly as to be considered non-biodegradable. What makes a given plastic “green,” therefore, is one or more of the following characteristics: (1) It is made from renewable ingredients; (2) it can be returned safely to the environment after use; and (3) it is manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner. One of the most familiar bioplastics is cellophane, a sheet material derived from cellulose plant fiber.