Biodegradable Plastics See Growth Amid Surge in Global Single-Use Plastic Use

As plastic production worldwide continues to rise, single-use plastics remain a relevant environmental concern. Plastic reduction efforts notwithstanding, plastic production every year totals approximately 474 million tons, with almost one-third consumed in packaging. Only less than a quarter of the packaging plastic is recycled. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated the trend by increasing demand for single-use packaging and personal protective equipment. But the future holds change as researchers and industries look for biodegradable products that can help minimize the plastic waste environmental impact.

Biodegradable plastics account for only 0.5% of the world's current plastics production, but green alternatives are in greater demand. Research, "Rethinking single-use plastics: Innovations, policies, consumer awareness and market shaping biodegradable plastics in the packaging industry," published in Trends in Food Science & Technology, found the most prevalent area of application for biodegradable plastics is in packaging. The world market for biodegradable packaging is projected to be worth $105 billion in 2024, increasing by about 6% every year until 2029. Additionally, 44% of the world's patents for biodegradable polymers are dedicated to packaging, reaffirming again the industry's adoption of technology.

The research, conducted by Brazilian, German, and US scientists, identifies attempts at using renewable raw material like proteins from corn as a feedstock to produce biodegradable plastic. A good example is zein, corn protein, films of which with appropriate properties for use as packaging materials are already feasible. Other sources, for the time being, are costlier, but researchers believe that improvements in manufacturing technology will make them comparatively more market-priced in the near future.

The circular economy is also highlighted as a key long-term strategy. This approach is more advanced than conventional recycling and calls for reconsideration of consumption practices and system design that minimize waste in the first instance. Nations such as Brazil are exploring use of their vast agro-industrial biomass—starch and lignin—to produce biodegradable packaging materials for consumption purposes. Multilateral collaboration is central to developing these eco-friendly solutions and making them suitable for global applications.

While biodegradable plastic is a potential path to counter single-use plastic-inflicted harm to the environment, it's no magic bullet. They have little hope to get adopted, for instance, in agricultural production industries, where the use of plastic has become entrenched in their manufacturing culture. For example, there is still no suitable bioplastic replacement for large-scale cultivation of strawberries possible with the current material durability considering the duration of the cultivating period. Nevertheless, efforts are made to reduce the use of plastics wherever possible—like the use of reusable trays, paper-based transplant systems, and permanent tunnel covers.

Development and research of biodegradable materials are expanding, driven by consumer pressure, regulatory drivers, and corporate social responsibility. The future of packaging might be defined by sustainable packaging materials, backed by innovation and global co-operation. It will take time, capital, and an willingness to transform systems, but the transition away from traditional plastics is a step towards environmental sustainability that needs to happen.

Material taken from the University of Arkansas, based on the article "Rethinking single-use plastics: Innovations, policies, consumer awareness and market shaping biodegradable plastics in the packaging industry"

 published in Trends in Food Science & Technology (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2025.104906