We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Numerical framework for anaerobic digestion and/or composting of bioplastics and organic waste performance evaluation under real-like large scale operating conditions
ClearDegradation of Film and Rigid Bioplastics During the Thermophilic Phase and the Maturation Phase of Simulated Composting
Researchers tested how well commercially certified compostable bioplastics (starch-based, PBAT, and PLA) actually degrade under realistic industrial composting conditions, finding that PLA degradation was highly sensitive to both plastic thickness and the duration of the high-temperature composting phase. The results suggest that current industrial composting timelines may be insufficient to fully break down certified compostable plastics, raising questions about real-world end-of-life claims.
Rigid and film bioplastics degradation under suboptimal composting conditions: A kinetic study
This study examined how well bioplastics — including PLA and starch-based film bags — degrade in home composting conditions that may not reach optimal temperatures, finding that film bioplastics degraded completely within 60 days but rigid PLA items would require 2-3 years at suboptimal conditions. These results highlight the gap between biodegradable plastic claims and real-world composting performance.
Decomposition of biodegradable plastic bags for kitchen waste collection in industrial composting
Biodegradable plastic bags marketed as compostable may not fully break down under real industrial composting conditions. This study found that starch-based bags decomposed well within 6 weeks, but PLA-based bags fell short of the 90% decomposition threshold, and particles smaller than 1 mm were present but not fully tracked — raising concerns that these "green" alternatives may still contribute to microplastic contamination in compost used on farmland.
Investigating the Fate of Bio-based Plastics in Anaerobic Digestion
This study tested the breakdown of three types of bio-based food packaging plastics in anaerobic digesters over 26 weeks, assessing how well they degrade under conditions similar to industrial composting. Understanding whether bio-based plastics truly break down in real waste treatment settings is critical to evaluating their environmental claims.
Disintegration of commercial biodegradable plastic products under simulated industrial composting conditions
Researchers tested ten commercial biodegradable plastic products under simulated industrial composting conditions to see how well they actually break down. While some products disintegrated significantly, others showed incomplete breakdown, and the process generated microplastic fragments during degradation. This raises questions about whether biodegradable plastics truly solve the plastic pollution problem or simply create smaller plastic particles.
Mineralization and microbial utilization of poly(lactic acid) microplastic in soil
Researchers tracked how polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics, a common biodegradable plastic, actually break down in different agricultural soils. They found that standard testing methods significantly overestimate how quickly PLA degrades because they fail to account for interactions with soil organic matter. The study reveals that PLA microplastics may persist longer in some soils than previously thought, raising questions about how truly biodegradable these materials are in real-world conditions.
Chemical-Physical Characterization of Bio-Based Biodegradable Plastics in View of Identifying Suitable Recycling/Recovery Strategies and Numerical Modeling of PLA Pyrolysis
Researchers characterized several bio-based and biodegradable polymer alternatives to conventional plastics using chemical-physical methods, assessing their suitability for industrial composting and identifying challenges in managing these bioplastics in the existing waste stream.
Biodegradation of Wasted Bioplastics in Natural and Industrial Environments: A Review
This review examines the biodegradation of bioplastics in both natural environments and industrial composting facilities, finding that many bioplastics degrade far more slowly outside industrial conditions than their labeling implies.
Can anaerobic digestion be a suitable end-of-life scenario for biodegradable plastics? A critical review of the current situation, hurdles, and challenges
Researchers reviewed the feasibility of anaerobic digestion (AD) as an end-of-life treatment for biodegradable plastics, identifying process parameters, microbial communities, and pretreatment strategies that influence degradation rates and arguing that AD deserves more research attention alongside industrial composting.
Degradation and environmental assessment of compostable packaging mixed with biowaste in full-scale industrial composting conditions
Researchers ran a full-scale composting trial incorporating certified compostable plastics into household biowaste, finding that the materials lost 98% of their mass within four months with no adverse effects on compost safety, soil fertility, or crop growth, and a lower environmental impact than incineration for most indicators.
The degradation of single-use plastics and commercially viable bioplastics in the environment: A review
Researchers reviewed how conventional single-use plastics degrade over decades in natural environments versus how bioplastics biodegrade, finding that while alternatives like PBS and PHA show genuine biodegradation potential, most require specific industrial composting conditions that are rarely available in practice.
A Systemic View of Biodegradable Materials: Analyzing the Environmental Performance of Compostable Coffee Capsules in Real Infrastructural Contexts
A systemic analysis of biodegradable materials examined their environmental performance across their full lifecycle, from production through disposal and degradation. The review finds that the environmental benefits of biodegradable plastics depend heavily on end-of-life conditions and that many do not degrade as claimed under real-world conditions.
Comparison of the aerobic biodegradation of biopolymers and the corresponding bioplastics: A review
Researchers compared how quickly biodegradable bioplastics break down in soil versus their natural parent materials — like starch, cellulose, and lignin — finding that chemical modifications made during manufacturing significantly change which microbes and enzymes are needed for degradation. The review concludes that lab-based biodegradation studies often miss real-world complexity, and long-term field experiments are urgently needed to validate biodegradability claims for bioplastics.
Do poly(lactic acid) microplastics instigate a threat? A perception for their dynamic towards environmental pollution and toxicity
This review examines whether poly(lactic acid), a popular biodegradable plastic marketed as an eco-friendly alternative, actually poses environmental risks as it breaks down into microplastics. Researchers found that PLA only degrades fully under specific industrial composting conditions with high temperatures and moisture, and may persist much longer in natural environments. The study calls for deeper investigation into the environmental fate and potential toxicity of PLA microplastics as their use continues to grow.
Composting of starch-based bioplastic bags: small scale test of degradation and size reduction trend
Small-scale composting experiments showed that starch-based bioplastic bags degraded physically and chemically over time, but the pace and completeness depended on conditions. The study addresses concerns that bioplastic bags used in food waste collection may not fully break down in composting facilities, potentially leaving plastic residue in compost.
Degradation of Plastics in Simulated Landfill Conditions
Researchers exposed high-density polyethylene, oxo-degradable polyethylene, and certified compostable plastics to simulated landfill conditions for 854 days and found that only compostable plastic degraded substantially, while oxo-degradable plastic showed minimal improvement over standard HDPE under anaerobic landfill conditions.
Impact of the thermo-alkaline pretreatment on the anaerobic digestion of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blended plastics
Researchers tested whether a heat-and-alkali pretreatment could improve the breakdown of biodegradable plastics PBAT and PLA through anaerobic digestion. They found that pretreatment significantly improved methane production from PLA-containing blends but had limited effect on PBAT alone, which remained resistant to digestion. The results suggest that even plastics labeled as biodegradable may not break down easily in real-world composting and waste treatment systems.
Biodegradation Assessment of Bioplastic Carrier Bags Under Industrial-Scale Composting Conditions
Researchers tested the biodegradation of bioplastic carrier bags made primarily from PBAT polymer under real-world industrial composting conditions using 50 tons of material. They found that 95% of the bags disintegrated by the twelfth week, though ecotoxicity tests showed some variability in how the resulting compost affected plant germination. The study provides practical, large-scale evidence for how bioplastic bags perform in actual composting facilities rather than just laboratory settings.
Anaerobic Degradability of Commercially Available Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials in the Context of their End of Life in the Waste Management Strategy
Researchers tested how quickly bio-based and oxo-degradable packaging materials break down under anaerobic (landfill-like) conditions over one year, finding that starch-based films degraded more completely than PLA or oxo-degradable materials. Products marketed as biodegradable may persist much longer than expected, contributing to microplastic pollution.
Biodegradable plastics in the air and soil environment: Low degradation rate and high microplastics formation
Researchers compared the degradation rates of various biodegradable plastic types in natural air and soil environments over time, finding that most degraded slowly under ambient conditions and generated substantial microplastic fragments, with non-certified biodegradable plastics showing essentially no degradation.
A Comparative Review on Biodegradation of Poly(Lactic Acid) in Soil, Compost, Water, and Wastewater Environments: Incorporating Mathematical Modeling Perspectives
This review compared how polylactic acid, a popular biodegradable plastic alternative, breaks down across different environments including soil, compost, water, and wastewater. Researchers found that PLA degrades fastest in compost, followed by soil, wastewater, and open water, with different mechanisms dominating in each setting. The study provides a comprehensive picture of PLA's real-world degradation behavior, which is important for understanding whether these materials truly offer environmental benefits over conventional plastics.
Behind the Green Promise: Eco-Innovation or Commercial Illusion?
This review critically examines the gap between the environmental promise of biodegradable packaging materials such as polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate and their real-world degradation performance. The authors found that most biodegradable plastics require specific industrial composting conditions to degrade as marketed and may perform no better than conventional plastics when disposed of in landfill, soil, or marine environments.
Fate of polylactic acid microplastics during anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste: Insights on property changes, released dissolved organic matters, and biofilm formation
Polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics were tracked through the anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste, revealing that PLA particles underwent surface changes and released dissolved organic matter but were not fully degraded during the process. The study shows that even supposedly biodegradable plastics can persist and alter biofilm formation in anaerobic digestion systems.
Polylactic acid synthesis, biodegradability, conversion to microplastics and toxicity: a review
Researchers reviewed polylactic acid (PLA), a popular plant-based "biodegradable" plastic used in packaging and agriculture, finding that while it breaks down inside the body, it does not fully degrade under natural outdoor or aquatic conditions — and in fact fragments into microplastics faster than conventional petroleum-based plastics. This challenges the assumption that bioplastics are a straightforward environmental solution.