Building with Bioplastics - Part 7

August 20, 2012 – Vol.17 No. 23

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 7.

The need for a regulated industry.

by Bruce Mulliken, Green Energy News

Regulation: In some circles that's a dirty word. But, while some industries claim that regulations are burdensome and cut profits, other industries survive and prosper because of them. One of those industries is the construction industry.

Building codes are regulations designed to ensure that homes and commercial buildings are built to be safe and sound. Building codes also require that materials used to build a structure meet a set of requirements for safety, strength and durability. Together – construction practices combined with tested and proven materials, along with inspections by trained and qualified agents of a government agency – gives the building owner one measure of confidence that the building was put together properly.

True, even with building to construction standards and an overseeing government agency, there has been no shortage of problems with builders and buildings. However, overall, regulations have been good to the construction industry: It makes buildings easier to sell. Property owners like knowing that a government agency, with the ability to punish bad deeds, has given their investment signed, legally-binding certificates of approval in signed-off building permits.

Bioplastics used in construction materials would also have to meet standards for strength, durability as well as compatibility with other products and meet building codes. These standards don't necessarily have to be developed by government. As in other construction materials, industry standardization groups (new or existing) can handle that.

However, building products made of bioplastics that are serving dual duty by sequestering carbon will also need a set of standards with enforceable regulations to back up manufactures’ claims of the quantity of carbon sequestered.

Eventually, national governments will have deal with growing greenhouse gas emissions. It's really just a matter of time. Here in the U.S. the juvenile denial and avoidance of the issue by Washington, in particular, may go on for many more years, but over time public outcry will overwhelm political ideology and politicians too weak-kneed to stand up to special interests. (A continuation of unusual weather events or a sudden and noticeable rise in sea levels will spur the action.)

When Washington finally shows its mettle and begins to regulate carbon, every possible method will be employed to reduce carbon emissions as well as capture emissions from vehicles, power plants and from the atmosphere itself.

Before any major, national, legislated greenhouse gas emission reduction takes place Washington will continue to smaller efforts carbon-reducing efforts like encouraging the construction of renewable energy plants and increasing energy efficiency. States too, as they have been doing, will continue similar efforts. There’s no reason that using bioplastics to store atmospheric carbon dioxide can’t be thrown into the carbon reducing efforts right now alongside other programs.

However, players in the bioplastic industry will have work together to prove to government their carbon sequestration claims and that means some kind of industry standard for measurement. Standards should include industry recording of full cycle carbon inputs in making, distributing and installing bioplastic products. Standards should also include making products available for rigorous and random independent study to verify carbon storing capabilities.

Governments – state, local and federal – could very well be the earliest purchasers of bioplastic construction materials for buildings and infrastructure projects. Governments will want to know exactly how much carbon dioxide is being sequestered before they include bioplastic components in the projects that taxpayers will eventually pay for. A set of standards and strong regulations will help build a full-scale carbon sequestering bioplastics in construction materials industry.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 2.
Residential bioplastic building materials when managed and recycled could sequester carbon dioxide for centuries.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 3.
Building big things for significant carbon sequestration.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 4.
Renewable energy plays a significant role.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 5.
Which plants for feedstock?

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 6.
Man-made systems to capture carbon dioxide for plastics and other chemicals.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 7.
The need for a regulated industry.

BUILDING WITH BIOPLASTICS:
ATMOSPHERIC CARBON STORAGE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS - PART 8.
New technologies to convert plant material into chemicals for bioplastics and series wrap-up.