Plastics are popular materials because they are inexpensive, lightweight, and durable. Plastics labeled as biodegradable are expected to degrade at the end of their lifecycle into carbon dioxide, water, and microbial biomass. Often, biodegradability is used to create an image of environmental friendliness, but this is not always the case.
Our newly published policy recommendations highlight both the opportunities and challenges of biodegradable plastics and provide insights from our research into how plastics biodegrade in soils, aquatic environments and recycling facilities.
