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<p>Biodegradable plastics offer potential solutions for mitigating plastic waste pollution, given their superior biodegradability. However, although their properties and environmental performance have been extensively examined, their roles in the global plastic industry remain unclear. In this Perspective, we discuss the nuanced role of biodegradable plastics by synthesizing material flow and environmental data to project global plastic waste accumulation, greenhouse gas emissions, aquatic ecotoxicity, cumulative energy demand and water footprint through 2050. Biodegradable plastics could reduce plastic waste accumulation by 27% compared with business-as-usual by 2050, with reductions of&#xa0;up to 65% when combined with recycling and incinerating conventional plastic waste. Proper end-of-life treatments, such as industrial composting and anaerobic digestion, are critical for realizing biodegradation benefits. Substituting conventional plastics with biodegradable alternatives could reduce ecotoxicity, primarily from microplastics, by up to 34% by 2050. Achieving these benefits requires investment in end-of-life infrastructure, standardized biodegradability certifications with localized considerations and consumer education. Although bio-based, biodegradable plastics have a limited impact on overall energy demand, they consume substantial water for biomass production. Future research should address economic and policy challenges, expand the functional scope of biodegradable plastics, identify water-efficient feedstock and enhance methods for assessing broader environmental and social impacts of plastics.</p>

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The role of biodegradable plastics in the global plastic future

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月16日

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  • Zhengyin Piao,
  • Yuan Yao

摘要

Biodegradable plastics offer potential solutions for mitigating plastic waste pollution, given their superior biodegradability. However, although their properties and environmental performance have been extensively examined, their roles in the global plastic industry remain unclear. In this Perspective, we discuss the nuanced role of biodegradable plastics by synthesizing material flow and environmental data to project global plastic waste accumulation, greenhouse gas emissions, aquatic ecotoxicity, cumulative energy demand and water footprint through 2050. Biodegradable plastics could reduce plastic waste accumulation by 27% compared with business-as-usual by 2050, with reductions of up to 65% when combined with recycling and incinerating conventional plastic waste. Proper end-of-life treatments, such as industrial composting and anaerobic digestion, are critical for realizing biodegradation benefits. Substituting conventional plastics with biodegradable alternatives could reduce ecotoxicity, primarily from microplastics, by up to 34% by 2050. Achieving these benefits requires investment in end-of-life infrastructure, standardized biodegradability certifications with localized considerations and consumer education. Although bio-based, biodegradable plastics have a limited impact on overall energy demand, they consume substantial water for biomass production. Future research should address economic and policy challenges, expand the functional scope of biodegradable plastics, identify water-efficient feedstock and enhance methods for assessing broader environmental and social impacts of plastics.