Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic

WWF argues that while biobased and biodegradable plastics can support a circular economy, they are not standalone solutions to plastic pollution and must be managed through strict, metric-based assessments and proper infrastructure to avoid environmental trade-offs.

• Biobased plastics may provide environmental benefits over fossil-based plastics, but their sustainability depends on the specific feedstock, production methods, and end-of-life management. WWF emphasizes that there is no universal 'white list' of sustainable feedstocks; instead, they must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis using metric-based decision-making to assess regional impacts and trade-offs.
• Biodegradable plastics are not a solution for litter or marine debris because they require specific environmental conditions to degrade, which are often absent in nature. WWF maintains that materials should not be designed to end up in nature and will only consider biodegradable plastics in systems with appropriate collection and composting infrastructure, or in specific necessary applications like agricultural film where recovery is not feasible.
• WWF strongly opposes the use of oxo-degradable plastics, stating there is no credible evidence that these additives result in environmental benefits. Instead, these materials fragment into smaller pieces, contributing to microplastic pollution.
• Within a circular economy, responsibly sourced bioplastics are viewed as a way to replenish material lost through degradation, as most plastics cannot be recycled infinitely. However, material substitution must be approached holistically to ensure that reducing one material does not transfer environmental costs to another part of the system.
• For biobased content to be considered responsibly sourced, it must meet several minimum criteria: it must be legally sourced, derived from renewable biomass, avoid adverse impacts on food security, prevent negative impacts on land conversion or deforestation, and provide environmental benefits compared to fossil-based plastics.

APA

WWF International (2020). Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/905/5tm1hfp3vz_WWF_Position_Biobased_and_Biodegradable_Plastic.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic. 2020. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/905/5tm1hfp3vz_WWF_Position_Biobased_and_Biodegradable_Plastic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=WWF International |title=Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic |date=February 2020 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/905/5tm1hfp3vz_WWF_Position_Biobased_and_Biodegradable_Plastic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{wwfinternational2020biobased, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic}}, publisher = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/905/5tm1hfp3vz_WWF_Position_Biobased_and_Biodegradable_Plastic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }