Biodegradable plastics are sold as a simple fix for a world drowning in packaging, but the reality is far messier than the marketing suggests. Labels that promise bags, cups, and utensils will ...

Biodegradable plastics don’t break down on their own. Researchers found ocean microbes play a key role, and results can vary widely.

Global plastic production has increased from 369 million tons in 2016 to 404.5 million metric tons in 2020, partly due to materials used in the COVID-19 pandemic. (Getty Images) FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — ...

Biodegradable plastics are often marketed as a simple solution to the world’s plastic pollution crisis. From food containers to shopping bags, these materials promise to disappear naturally after ...

This bag of tomatoes is made from the new plant-based plastic that uses FDA-approved ingredients. Watch as the bag completely dissolves in artificial seawater after just a few hours, without leaving ...

Several new projects turn waste into food for microbes that create PHA, a type of plastic that fully decomposes on its own, offering a less costly alternative to current bioplastics. This fork made of ...

Plastic pollution is one of the most defining environmental challenges of our time. Despite efforts to recycle or responsibly dispose of plastic, vast garbage patches in the oceans continue to grow, ...

Switching to biodegradable plastics could slash toxic pollution by more than a third and dramatically reduce global waste by mid-century, but only if cities and companies invest in the right disposal ...

A new study published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering has compared the impacts of traditional and biodegradable microplastics on pea growth and soil health. The research shows ...