are biodegradable plastics actually biodegradable?
Biodegradable plastic sounds like the perfect solution: eco-friendly, guilt-free, and easy disposal. But the truth and how it works is a little more complicated. Learn about what makes plastic (both traditional and “biodegradable”) behave the way it does.
why traditional plastics don’t break down
The reason plastic sticks around for centuries has everything to do with how it’s built. Most traditional plastics—water bottles, grocery bags, plastic mailers—are made from polymers derived from fossil fuels like crude oil or natural gas. These polymers are made up of long chains of repeating molecules, all tightly bound together with strong carbon-carbon bonds. This creates a very strong molecular chain.
These strong molecular chains are designed to resist heat, water, light, and microbial attack. They’re chemically stable, which makes them great for packaging food and liquid—but it also means that bacteria and fungi (which break down most natural materials) have no idea what to do with them. They don’t recognize the material as food. No recognition = no digestion = no breakdown.
Instead of biodegrading, traditional plastics fragment over time—breaking into smaller and smaller pieces through physical processes like sunlight and friction. That’s how we end up with microplastics.
what makes a plastic “biodegradable”?
Biodegradable plastics are made to mimic natural materials—at least chemically—so that microbes can break them down. These plastics are often made from plant-based sources like corn starch, sugarcane, or cellulose. They then are supposed to break down into natural components like water, carbon dioxide, and organic matter. However, they only do this under the right conditions. That usually means an industrial composting facility, where temperatures hit 130°F or higher, and humidity and oxygen are manually controlled.
Without the proper facility, your biodegradable plastic is likely going to act as traditional plastic. Sitting in a landfill, buried under tons of other waste, it’s not getting the oxygen or heat it needs to break down. It might still be there decades from now.
where bioplastics get messy
Bioplastics and biodegradable plastics aren’t the same thing—although they’re often marketed like they are. Some bioplastics are made from plants but don’t biodegrade at all (like bio-PET, which is chemically identical to plastic made from oil). Others, like PLA, are technically biodegradable but only under specific composting conditions.
According to research, most of our current waste management systems aren’t set up to handle these materials properly. That means even compostable plastics often get tossed in the trash—or worse, the recycling bin, where they contaminate the entire stream.
Even when biodegradable plastics do break down, they don’t always disappear into nothingness. If they degrade slowly or in the wrong environment, they can still leave behind microplastics, defeating the whole point.
are they worth it?
If disposed of correctly and in the right facilities, they can break down faster and cleaner than traditional plastics. But the infrastructure has to be there, and people have to understand how to sort and handle them.
Some of the bioplastics made from plant-based resources end up being more expensive than traditional plastic, and even alternative packaging like paper, glass, or metal. This cost ends up falling on the product consumer.
As the Columbia Climate School puts it, a biodegradable label can be misleading. Without clear disposal instructions or access to composting systems, these materials often end up in the same places as everything else—landfills, waterways, and oceans.
what can you do instead?
If you really want to reduce waste, the best move is still the simplest: use less plastic. Reuse what you can. Avoid single-use anything. And when it comes to packaging, look for options that are recyclable, home compostable, or even both.
Like, say, Bubble Paper Wrap—which is 100% curbside recyclable and compostable. It protects your shipments without leaving behind a legacy of waste. It’s one of those rare swaps that feels good and actually is good.