Next-generation bioplastics: Integrating green synthesis, degradation, and policy frameworks

Résumé fourni par la source

Bioplastics and biodegradable polymers are promoted as sustainable alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. This review critically synthesizes examines the bioplastic lifecycle from biomass selection and pretreatment routes to property relationships, biodegradation mechanisms, and environmental safety considerations, with particular attention to the formation and fate of micro- and nano-scale residues. The review also examines why reported environmental performance remains contested: biodegradation endpoints and analytical methodologies are not always harmonized, safety claims often rely on incomplete evidence under realistic exposure conditions, and life cycle assessment (LCA) results (including global warming potential, GWP) can vary substantially due to differences in system boundaries, functional units, allocation rules, biogenic carbon accounting, and end-of-life scenarios. Beyond environmental metrics, this review evaluates commercialization constraints and the policy–infrastructure gap that determines whether certification and labelling translate into reliable end-of-life outcomes. Integrating material innovation with endpoint-relevant degradation, methodological harmonization in LCA, and decision-oriented industrial readiness perspectives. It also highlights the need for standardized biodegradation and safety protocols, quantitative condition and endpoint explicit comparisons, improved LCA-GWP transparency, and policy instruments that couple terminology and certification with verified waste-management infrastructure, enabling a more circular and environmentally responsible bioplastic economy.

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