Are Airsoft BBs Biodegradable? - Bio BBs to load up on, and Bio BBs to Avoid!
In the early days of Airsoft, we were so few in number that our impact on the environment was barely even a concern, and whilst many Airsofters were keen to use early "Bio" BBs, they were of a notably lower quality than standard BBs made from ABS plastic.
As the sport grew, new innovations were made in the world of plastics, and "Bio" plastics began to find their way from the Agricultural Industry to Airsoft. With this, a new era of "Bio" BB performance began. These days, you would be hard-pressed to tell a Delta Armory EAGLE BIO BB from a standard ABS plastic BB when shooting, and in surface smoothness and consistency of the weight, the two appear indistinguishable. With performance maintained, now is the time to run Bio BBs and skirmish with a clean conscience!
How do standard BBs cause environmental damage?
Perhaps you look at a BB and wonder how these little balls can damage the environment? Other than putting holes in leaves, that is! Well, to understand the impact our sport can have on the environment, one has to think of the bigger picture.
Imagine your average Airsoft Skirmish site, out in the woods, serving approximately 50 skirmishers a week. Forgetting the snipers, the average Airsofter will expend at least 1000 BBs in a full day skirmish. Assuming these BBs are 0.2g, each of those 50 skirmishers is dumping 200g of plastics into the environment, which is 10KG of BBs a week!
Over the year, giving the site staff two weekends off and assuming only one skirmish a week, this becomes half a metric ton of BBs! And that is at only a single Airsoft site. No small matter, we're sure you can see. This highlights why most, if not all outdoors Airsoft sites now operate purely with Biodegradable BBs, and why manufacturers are stepping up their game, providing more sustainable balls for us to shoot at one another.
Why is using Biodegradable BBs important?
- Reduces environmental damage in the long term
- Keeps woodland environments clean
- Avoids wildlife habitat damage
- Minimises pollution of the water palette
What are Biodegradable Airsoft BBs made of?
Airsoft "Bio" BBs are composed of a combination of PLA (polylactic acid) and other plastics, such as ABS or Barium Sulphate. PLA is based on plants such as corn starch, potato, wheat, and sugar cane, and is considered a "Bioplastic" due to its tendency to degrade at temperatures exceeding 60°C.
- Most Bio BBs on the market are 50-70% PLA
- Some Bio BBs also include Barium Sulphate in the formula
- Some Bio BBs are partially made from ABS, which is not biodegradable
How long do Bio BBs take to degrade?
Being primarily made from bio-plastics means Airsoft Bio BBs will degrade over relatively long durations in a natural environment (several years). In laboratory conditions, this degradation occurs over a far shorter timespan, exposed to unnatural levels of heat and moisture.
Degrading in lab conditions at 60°C classifies PLA as "biodegradable". As we don't often get days where we can soak up some 60°C sun, Airsoft "Bio" BBs are only partially biodegradable, strictly speaking, and would take several years in natural conditions to degrade entirely.
- Airsoft Bio BBs generally degrade over several years of exposure to natural sunlight and moisture
- Most Airsoft Bio BBs are made primarily from PLA. Those with ABS polymer in the blend are typically only partially biodegradable
Do Bio BBs degrade in the bag?
If left open in warm, moist conditions for several years, bio BBs may start to degrade, negatively affecting accuracy and reliability. If you keep them well sealed in a cool, dry environment, they will keep their quality in the long term without causing reduced performance.
How to keep your Bio BBs fresh when stored:
- Store in a sealed bag or bottle - Contact with the air
Why use PLA if it will remain in the environment for years anyway?
The advantage of using PLA in an Airsoft BB, even if it will take several years to degrade naturally, is the non-toxic nature of PLA and Barium Sulphate. Whilst it may still take years for these BBs to entirely disappear in a natural environment, the byproducts of this process are not damaging its surroundings, being a "bio-plastic".
Most "Bio" BBs on the market are 50-70% PLA, varying depending on the weight of the BB, and while manufacturers are rumoured to be working on an entirely Biodegradable BB that still holds its tolerances in heat and moisture, and also performs well when fired, unfortunately, we aren't quite there yet.
That said, "Bio" BBs are still the best option we have for the moment, and whilst they will remain in the environment for up to several years, they will eventually degrade, with no lasting effects on the ecosystem. Consider Aldi's green plastic carrier bags, and you have a similar situation, though using a PLA bag rather than a Polystyrene bag is a significant step in the right direction for sustainability.
So, with "Bio" BBs defined, let us share with you our experience of testing various Bio BBs of various brands, both through work and personal endeavours, in an attempt to save you from wasting bio-plastics and money by buying useless BBs!
- PLA BBs take several years to degrade - This is still preferable compared to ABS BBs, which are not biodegradable
- As it does biodegrade, PLA and Barium Sulphate are far less toxic to wildlife and plant life
- Choosing the right Bio BBs is important when seeking to minimise waste
For those who love to watch the world burn, these BBs are here to ruin your fun! Due to constant innovation and the arms race to produce the first entirely Bio-plastic BB which actually shoots straight, the Airsoft industry has produced some credible options which perform extremely well in our tests, and are as sustainable as is currently possible! Gone are the days where you had to choose between a more environmentally friendly BB and a BB which performs well!
Delta Armory Diamond BIO BBs
Delta Armory’s top-of-the-range BBs, known as the Diamond series, are available in Biodegradable form, with tight size tolerances of only +/- 0.01mm and a guaranteed weight difference not exceeding 0.01g between individual BBs.
Whether you’re looking at biodegradable Diamond BBs through a microscope or shooting them through your DMR, you won’t notice a difference compared to standard ABS Diamond BBs, thanks to their highly polished surface and strict quality control process.
Delta Armory EAGLE™ BIO BBs
EAGLE™ Bio BBs are a more affordable alternative to Delta's Diamond BBs, boasting tight tolerances of only +/- 0.01mm maximum size deviation between each BB. Their high-polished surface ensures feeding is reliable and accuracy is on point.
In our testing, EAGLE™ Bio BBs have performed flawlessly, feeding reliably in a variety of GBB, AEG, AEP and spring-powered platforms. Available in a range of weights and even biodegradable tracer BBs, as a cheap Bio BB option, these are practically unbeatable!
There is nothing worse for the environment than buying something plastic and not using it because it is not fit for purpose. The damage to the environment done by the significant number of industrial processes involved in the production of the BB, and the many vehicles and vessels used to transport it to you over thousands of miles are entirely wasted if the BB doesn't ever end up being used.
There's nothing cheap about cheap BBs biodegrading whilst stuck inside your mid-caps to the extent that they cannot be removed! Cheap "bio" BBs are a plague for this, and whilst many advertise as "biodegradable" they are often composed from materials that are not fit for the intended purpose, which is to shoot effectively from an Airsoft gun. There is no value for money in buying something which doesn't do the job it is intended for. Buy cheap, buy twice! The following are examples of BBs we have tried and had horrible luck with!
Bulldog/Angry Balls BBs
Many of us here have fallen afoul of buying cheap BBs, thinking "they can't be that bad, can they? These BBs can often be had for a couple of quid cheaper than other brands, and as far as how they look in the images, one might assume they can't be that different from Delta EAGLEs or VORSK Bios.
The promises these BBs make on their packaging are suspicious to start (who wouldn't want 10% more power?), but once you catch eyes on these round (and slightly lumpy) boys, you know you messed up. These BBs may, in fact, be biodegradable, akin to early attempts at a "bio" BB, but their lax tolerances and poor surface quality result in them sticking in HOPup units and magazines. You'll be lucky if they make it out of the barrel and into the environment to biodegrade!
"Marker" Pellets/BBs
While many of us will already know this, any BB advertising itself as a "Marker pellet" will absolutely destroy the inside of your Airsoft gun. This happens because these pellets have a very thin outer wall, and when fired at the velocity a skirmish-capable Airsoft gun puts out, they tend to shatter within the HOP-up unit and foul the inner barrel with paint.
This is suboptimal, to say the least, and while your barrel may be possible to clean, coating the HOP-up rubber and unit with paint will almost certainly mean the entire unit will need replacing. If you ask us, these BBs should be taken off the market, not for environmental reasons, but because they are pure garbage. Sending them straight from the factory to the landfill just cuts out the frustrated middleman!
Gel Balls/Orbees
While these are very on trend currently, Gel Balls/Orbees are not designed to shoot through Airsoft guns, being generally larger than 6mm Airsoft BBs (7-8mm usually). If you try to load Gel Balls into an Airsoft magazine, they won't feed into the gun and will be a real hassle to remove!
BBs to Avoid
- Cheap BBs from lesser-known brands - While cheap, if they don't feed or shoot straight, this is a false economy
- "Marker" BBs of any kind - These tend to fail when shot through Airsoft guns, causing internal damage
- Orbees or Gel Balls - These cannot be shot through your Airsoft gun and will also get jammed in Airsoft magazines
When is it okay to use standard non-biodegradable BBs?
With all this innovation in Bio BBs, is there still a place for standard Airsoft BBs? Of course! If you are skirmishing at an indoor skirmish site, the marshals will be sweeping up afterwards anyway, so you might as well save a quid or two and use standard BBs, they will be disposed of properly anyway.
If you are target shooting at home and have a BB catcher target or another home-made solution to prevent BBs escaping, then get shooting! Just make sure you tip those used BBs into your recycle bin, and not back into the bottle! That is not the kind of recycling we advocate for here!
When to use standard BBs
- Indoor CQB sessions - Staff sweep up afterwards anyway and will dispose of BBs properly
- Target shooting - If you use a catcher target or a similar solution, save a few quid and use standard BBs
So, there you have it. Myths debunked, truths told! Airsoft Bio BBs, whilst not truly biodegradable in the same way as a banana peel is, can help significantly in keeping our sport sustainable and keeping the woodlands clean for future skirmishes.
Obviously, it is equally important that you tidy up after yourselves, and don't leave litter where you play, but being the responsible bunch we are, we know Airsofters can be relied upon to do what's right! Especially if, thanks to high-quality Bio BBs, it doesn't affect how well our guns shoot!