How Forests Can Contribute to A Circular Economy and Fighting Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues of our century. It affects all of us and threatens both the environment and our own health. Mismanaged plastic waste finds its way into the world’s oceans, forests, and other sensitive ecosystems where is takes hundreds of years to decompose. Plastic never biodegrades, but it breaks down into thousands of small pieces (microplastics) that pollute our soils, water, and even our own bodies. Studies estimate that humans ingest about the weight of a credit card in plastics every week and the amount is only increasing.

It is evident that plastic pollution needs to be tackled in any way imaginable and there are many reasons to believe our forests will play a key role. This article dives into the importance of forests for our ecosystem and highlights how an innovative circular economy with forests at the core could solve the plastic problem for good.

The Important Role of Forests in Our Ecosystem

Forests are not only a beautiful place to spend time with your family, they are also a central part of our ecosystem and its biodiversity. Forests, wetlands, and grasses are necessary to regulate water flow. Their loose soil and the extensive root systems act like a natural sponge, enabling the soil to absorb rainwater. In fact, they are so effective in regulating water that a study, conducted in collaboration between Singapore and Australia, estimates that with each 10 percent increase in Deforestation, the danger of flood increased up to 28 percent.

Plants, particularly trees, are also vital in purifying the air we breathe and mitigating the impact of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Forests are known to be one of the most important carbon sinks of our planet. Their photosynthesis extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases oxygen, while storing the carbon as a building block for plant tissue. With this ingenious natural process, forests extract twice as much carbon from the atmosphere than they emit.

Forests also can act as protective shields along our planet’s coastline, forests purify water with a natural filtration process, they are lively habitats and food source for countless animals (including humans). The ecological benefits of forests are simply endless and every one of them is fascinating enough to fill a full article.

The Vision of a Circular Economy

A circular economy seeks to minimize waste and pollution by extending the use of materials and products and prioritizing renewable resources. This is accomplished through innovative product design that prioritizes repair, reuse, and recycling, and the use of renewable materials. In this economic model, waste is a valuable resource that can be used to create new products, or it is rotted providing valuable nutrients for nature.

The impact of a circular economy on pollution is significant, as it encourages the reuse of products and the production of innovative compostable materials instead of unsustainable ones like plastic. This diverts plastic waste from landfills and the environment and for it is estimated that the circular model could reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources by up to 49% by 2030. Even more than that, circular concepts are a key pillar to achieve many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Especially in the context of fighting plastic pollution, the circular economy promises long term change for the better. By eliminating unnecessary production of single use plastics, investing in recycling and inventing innovative new materials, the circular economy could eliminate 80% of the plastic waste that is entering our oceans until 2040.

You’re likely asking yourself, what on earth do forests, and circular economy have in common, but the answer is simple. Forests are circular ecosystems by nature, and they are incredibly rich in resources that can replace plastic.

How Forests Could Solve the Plastic Problem

Forests operate in something called a closed-loop system that supports the health of the entire planet. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the soil, stem, roots, and leaves. Rotting leaves and dead trees in the ground in turn create carbon dioxide and provide valuable nutrients for other trees and organisms like insects and mushrooms. All in all, the circularity of forests is an essential part of our earth’s ecosystem. But it doesn’t stop there. Forests offer an abundance of resources that could replace plastic products.

Wood products are of course on the forefront. Wood has been used for centuries for its good material properties. It can be easily processed into many different forms. Wooden spoons and forks, for example, can easily replace plastic ones and their life starts in the forest. Other single-use items like cotton buds and coffee stirrers are just as easily replaceable with wood products. But wood is also popular because it can be durable and robust. It can just as easily replace durable plastic items in the household that would take hundreds of years to break down once disposed. Handles for household items like kitchen brushes or toothbrushes for example are easily replaced with wood. Especially bamboo is rising in popularity, of its durability and its fast growth.

The exciting part is that wood can also be processed into materials that are magic ingredients for innovate plastic replacements.

• Wood pulp for example is prepared by separating the fibers in wood from the materials that bind them together, like cellulose and lignin (a binding molecule). That can happen mechanically or chemically. In the mechanical process, debarked, moisturized wood is grinded against millstones and the residue is cooked, filtered, and pressed into wood pulp. In the chemical process, sawdust is cooked together with sulfite or other chemicals to achieve the same result.
• The cellulose and lignin within wood are also truly versatile materials that have many applications. For instance, it can be processed in a similar way to wood pulp and then casted into a bioplastic film that could replace plastic bags and packaging.
• A similar application has nanocellulose, which consists of tiny fibers that can be used to create a strong, but lightweight biodegradable film, found in packaging like food wrap.
• Cellulose acetate is another exciting material made from wood-based cellulose. It can be used in many different areas, from LCD screens to cigarette filters. Considering 7 billion cigarette buds are littered in the each year in the US alone, this single material could have a huge impact.
• After studying lignin and its material composition for decades, researches even succeeded to create lignin-based carbon fiber. While the other materials we discussed thus far could mainly replace everyday plastic items, lignin-based carbon fiber is a valuable material with applications from automotive production to even aerospace.

Outside of the wood-based products, researchers globally have achieved several breakthroughs for other materials from forests. For example, the “Hoofs Fungus”, which grows directly on the stem of trees.

Engineers are fascinated by the material properties of this fungus, as it has different layers that can be used in different ways. It has a wood-like inner layer that can be used for building materials and solid plastics. Its soft middle layer on the other hand could be used to replace leather and artificial textiles in the fashion industry. Finally, the tough outer layer can be used for high-tech coating, for example in the automotive industry.

A Sustainable Forest Economy is the Prerequisite

It is clear that our planet’s forests have a crucial role to play in our ecosystem and in fighting plastic pollution. The model of a circular economy, which prioritizes the use and reuse of renewable resources, could significantly reduce plastic waste, and promote a more sustainable future. Forests are circular ecosystems by nature, and they are full of natural resources that could replace plastic products. From wood pulp to fungi, these materials are extremely versatile, and have the potential to make a big impact.

It is also imperative to support the environmentally responsible production of these innovative materials and prevent deforestation. Already today, the pulp and paper industry are responsible for 33-40% of all industrial wood traded globally. With growing demand of biodegradable products, it is essential to get the necessary regulations in place that allow for a sustainable forest economy. In addition, investments in these innovative solutions should always also encompass the investigation of used chemicals and the CO2 emissions to ensure their positive impact.

By investing in sustainable forestry practices and innovative new materials, we can protect our environment, tackle plastic pollution, and build a better future for ourselves and generations to come.

Author Bio

Lars is the Co-Owner of SWOP – shop without plastic, a zero-waste online shop and blog. He is passionate about protecting the environment and educating about plastic pollution.