SHIFTING FROM FOSSIL PLASTICS TO NATURAL POLYMERS

SHIFTING FROM FOSSIL PLASTICS TO NATURAL POLYMERS

We have been talking about reducing single-use plastics for decades, but progress has been painfully slow. Now, here comes a new approach—already tested by innovative companies like Notpla—that could make a real difference. And I believe it’s an approach the Philippines should adopt as soon as possible.

Why? Because Notpla prefers to use seaweed as a raw material for making natural polymers—biodegradable, compostable packaging that disappears. This is not just good for the planet; it’s good for our economy, too. We are already one of the world’s largest producers of seaweed, with over 200,000 coastal families engaged in farming it, particularly in Mindanao, Sulu, and Bohol. Imagine the boost to their livelihoods if we could link our seaweed production directly to a cutting-edge packaging industry.

Notpla’s model has several key strengths. First, their seaweed grows fast—up to a meter a day—without the need for freshwater, fertilizers, or arable land. This means it doesn’t compete with food crops and doesn’t put pressure on scarce land resources. Second, their products biodegrade completely in just 4–6 weeks, even in home composting conditions. And third, they leave behind no microplastics—unlike many so-called “bioplastics” that still create pollution in microscopic form.

The company’s portfolio is impressive: food containers, cutlery, sachets, edible liquid pods, and more. In Europe alone, they have already replaced over 21 million single-use plastic items. That’s impact you can measure. No wonder they won the prestigious Earthshot Prize for innovation in sustainable packaging.

If this sounds too “foreign” to work here, think again. The Philippines is already producing the very raw materials needed. Our main seaweed exports—Kappaphycus, Eucheuma, and Gracilaria—are excellent for carrageenan and agar production, both of which are viable bases for biopolymer manufacturing. We also have processing by-products that are currently underused or wasted; these could be converted into packaging films, wrappers, and even agricultural products like seed pods.

Here is where I believe government must act with urgency. We should instruct our Embassy in London to enter into technology agreements with Notpla. This should not be another “study now, maybe act later” scenario. Time is ticking for the planet, and our coastal communities could be the first beneficiaries if we move quickly.

The potential benefits go far beyond reducing plastic waste. Seaweed farming absorbs carbon dioxide and helps deacidify our oceans, making it climate positive. At the community level, it could mean new livelihood streams: fisherfolk trained in seaweed cultivation, youth and women’s groups engaged in packaging design and branding, and barangay-level facilities producing biodegradable films for local markets.

Even better, this fits neatly into the concept of a circular economy. Used packaging could go straight into compost bins or biogas digesters, returning nutrients to the soil instead of clogging waterways. Coastal barangays could integrate this into their Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), ensuring that waste management is not just about collection but about transformation.

Of course, scaling this up will require coordinated action. We will need R&D funding to adapt the technology to our local seaweed species. We will need policies that set clear definitions distinguishing natural polymers from fossil-based plastics and conventional bioplastics. And we will need public procurement programs to create a guaranteed market for these materials, especially in government institutions, schools, and public events.

The shift to natural polymers will also require consumer education. People must understand that these materials behave differently from conventional plastics—they are not designed to last forever, and that’s the point. Packaging should protect goods while they are in use and then vanish harmlessly, just like a fruit peel returning to the soil.

Some skeptics will ask: Is this scalable? The answer is yes—but only if we start now. The Philippines produced about 1.6 million metric tons of fresh seaweed in 2023, worth ₱12.7 billion. If even a small fraction of that were diverted into high-value biopolymer production, we could position ourselves as a global leader in sustainable packaging—while uplifting our coastal communities and cleaning up our environment.

We keep hearing that plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time. True enough. But if we keep focusing only on waste management and recycling, we’re missing the bigger opportunity: replacing fossil plastics at the source with materials that are safe, scalable, and truly circular.

The technology exists. The raw materials are here. The need is urgent. What’s missing is decisive action to connect the dots—linking our seaweed farmers to world-class innovators and turning the Philippines into a hub for nature-based packaging solutions.

So, here’s my suggestion--let’s stop seeing seaweed only as a food export commodity and start seeing it as the foundation of a whole new industry—one that cleans the ocean, reduces carbon, provides jobs, and makes our plastic problem disappear, quite literally.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com

10-18-2025