What does biodegradable actually mean? And is bio-based plastic automatically better for the planet?
In a special two-part episode of Good Garbage, Ved Krishna sits down with Dr. Ramani Narayan, Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and a key scientist behind PLA, to question some of the assumptions we make about plastics.
From “biodegradable” additives that may only break plastic into smaller pieces, to the difference between bio-based and biodegradable, Dr. Narayan takes us back to the chemistry—and asks us to rethink what we really mean by sustainable packaging.
The conversation goes further: Can something be designed as compostable if the infrastructure to compost it doesn’t exist? And when does a “paper” product stop being paper?
Two parts. One conversation. A lot of questions.
🎧 Listen to Part 1 & Part 2 of Good Garbage on Youtube, Spotify & Apple.