Bioplastics and the Role of Institutions in the Design of Sustainable Post-Consumer Solutions

Abstract

This article aims to understand the role of institutions, especially meso-institutions, in the construction of definitions of bioplastics that foster sociotechnical changes, so that a single language with epistemic quality can be defined for global governance in the solution of environmental problems arising from the plastic production chain. To this end, through a narrative literature review and documentary research on European and Brazilian legislation, this article applies theory to the case of the global definition of bioplastics. Clearly, the creation of definitions matters to institutions and global governance, since they ensure that these definitions follow the criteria of coherence, determination and epistemic quality. On the other hand, it is noted that these criteria are not met in the case of the definition of bioplastics, which suffers from a lack of global standardization. Furthermore, we conclude that the lack of a globally standardized definition of bioplastics promotes negative effects, such as greenwashing. Critical topics such as renewable contents and the biodegradability and compostability of materials are essential to a deeper comprehension of sustainability. From this perspective, this study highlights the intricate interplay between technological advancements and established standards in the rapidly evolving bioplastic market, which is underscored by a lack of clear definitions. Meso-institutions emerge as pivotal actors in bridging the gap between market demands and scientific progress that facilitate the development of standards and regulations essential to the sustainable dissemination of bioplastics.