On replacing single-use plastic with so-called biodegradable ones: The case with straws

Plastic pollution is a global environmental concern and several approaches have been implemented seeking to reduce and control releases of plastic waste, especially in marine environments. Recently, disclosure of data on occurrence of single-use plastic straws among the litter collected in beach cleaning campaigns unleashed a worldwide movement that resulted on banning of these items in several countries. The market then quickly began to offer sustainable solutions as the professed biodegradable plastic straws. However, cases of green-washing added to current limitations related to the technical standards used to attest biodegradability of commercial plastic products may lead these measures to be largely ineffective. Herein, a case study assessing the composition of plastic straws marketed in Brazil and United States under false claims of biodegradability was used as background for discussion of this neglected issue, which goes far beyond plastics straws. Thus, although some local regulations have already banned single-use plastic products, additional actions in regional and global scales should be implemented, especially concerning proper labeling of the alleged biodegradable products. Therefore, from a multi-dimensional perspective and considering the resistance of the powerful plastic industry, multiple management strategies focused on educating people in the matters of deciding purchases based on correct labeling and properly discarding the waste, are possibly our best chance to drive a positive global environmental change. Additionally, we also suggest the inclusion of this relevant subject among the tasks proposed by the Basel Convention Partnership on Plastic Waste.