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Recycling of Bioplastics: Routes and Benefits
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Researchers reviewed how bioplastics — plastics made from biological sources rather than petroleum — combined with mechanical and chemical recycling could replace conventional plastics and help reduce microplastic buildup in marine ecosystems that ultimately accumulates in humans.
Abstract Continual reduction of landfill space along with rising CO 2 levels and environmental pollution, are global issues that will only grow with time if not correctly addressed. The lack of proper waste management infrastructure means gloablly commodity plastics are disposed of incorrectly, leading to both an economical loss and environmental destruction. The bioaccumulation of plastics and microplastics can already be seen in marine ecosystems causing a negative impact on all organisms that live there, ultimately microplastics will bioaccumulate in humans. The opportunity exists to replace the majority of petroleum derived plastics with bioplastics (bio-based, biodegradable or both). This, in conjunction with mechanical and chemical recycling is a renewable and sustainable solution that would help mitigate climate change. This review covers the most promising biopolymers PLA, PGA, PHA and bio-versions of conventional petro-plastics bio-PET, bio-PE. The most optimal recycling routes after reuse and mechanical recycling are: alcoholysis, biodegradation, biological recycling, glycolysis and pyrolysis respectively.
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Bioplastics: potential substitution to fossil-based plastics
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This review examines bioplastics as potential substitutes for fossil-based plastics in the context of marine plastic pollution abatement, discussing biodegradable and decomposable plastic innovations alongside resource recovery strategies and circular economy approaches to plastic waste management.
Bioplastics in the circular bioeconomy: Production pathways, biodegradation mechanisms, and environmental implications
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This comprehensive review examines how bioplastics — plastics made from renewable biological sources — fit into a circular economy, covering how they are produced, how microorganisms break them down, and the environmental risks when degradation is incomplete. A key concern is that even bio-based plastics can form microplastics if they do not fully degrade in real-world conditions like marine or soil environments, meaning that simply switching to bioplastics does not automatically solve the microplastic pollution problem.
Biodegradation of Wasted Bioplastics
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This paper provides a broad overview of bioplastics — materials made from renewable biological sources — discussing their potential as a partial solution to global plastic pollution and the complexity of their biodegradability. While microplastic accumulation in oceans is mentioned as context for the urgency of the problem, the paper's focus is on bioplastic production and biodegradation rather than microplastic health or environmental impacts.
Are bioplastics the solution to the plastic pollution problem?
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This review examines whether bioplastics can meaningfully reduce plastic pollution, concluding that while bioplastics offer some advantages, they are not a straightforward solution because many require industrial composting conditions and their environmental benefits depend heavily on end-of-life management.
Plastics Versus Bioplastics
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This review contrasts conventional petroleum-based plastics with bioplastics, examining the limitations of recycling, the persistence of conventional plastics in the environment, and the potential of biopolymers to reduce plastic pollution.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.