Are plastic regulations hindering innovation in sustainable alternatives?

As a passionate advocate for sustainable development, and as a patent attorney with a background in chemistry, I am naturally interested in any innovation relating to sustainable materials.  There does not seem to be a lack of innovative activity in that field.  Yet significant progress in commercially viable alternatives to conventional plastics often appears frustratingly slow.  We often hear reasons such as lack of investment or uncompetitive prices.  We perhaps hear less often about the regulatory complexities of this fast-evolving field of technology.  When can a bio-derived polymer still be considered a “plastic”?  This new report from BB-REG-NET highlights the inconsistent definitions of the term “plastic” under UK regulations, and how this may adversely affect innovation in bio-based and biodegradable materials.  A really interesting read.

#Sustainability 

while there are concerns that current definitions of plastic are unclear or unsuitable, a bigger issue lies in the inconsistent scope of regulations. As definitions shift depending on policy intent, a material may be classified as plastic under one regulation but not under another

bb-reg-net.org.uk/...