Degradable plastics are a class of polymers whose products meet the required performance standards during their shelf life, yet, after use, degrade under natural environmental conditions into substances that are harmless to the environment. Consequently, they are also referred to as environmentally degradable plastics. Polymer degradation refers to the process by which the macromolecular chains of a polymer break down due to chemical and physical factors. When polymers are exposed to environmental conditions such as oxygen, water, radiation, chemicals, pollutants, mechanical stress, insects, and microorganisms, the resulting breakdown of their macromolecular chains is known as environmental degradation. Today, a variety of novel plastics are available, including photodegradable plastics, biodegradable plastics, plastics with combined photo‑, oxidative‑, and biodegradability, carbon‑dioxide‑based biodegradable plastics, and thermoplastic starch‑based degradable plastics.

Biodegradable plastics can be used not only to manufacture various sporting goods—such as fishing lines and golf tees—but also materials for agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture, including films, moisture‑retaining products, and seedling‑bed substrates, as well as garbage bags and hygiene products like disposable diapers. Their potential applications are equally broad, extending to cosmetic containers, toothbrushes, cushioning materials, packaging, shopping bags, and single‑use gloves. Once safety concerns are addressed, they could even serve as food‑contact packaging. As a new class of functional polymer materials, biodegradable plastics also hold promise in the packaging of fertilizers, pesticides, and other specialized products. Looking ahead, they may find uses in non‑plastic sectors such as adhesives and printing inks.
As public concerns about “white pollution” grow and various provinces and cities issue plastic‑restriction policies, the effective utilization of biodegradable plastics will be a pivotal issue for the future market.