Biodegradable polymers have experienced strong growth over the last

three years and are set to make further inroads into markets traditionally
dominated by conventional thermoplastics in future.
Demand is being driven by a number of factors.

The cost of biodegradable polymers has come down considerably over

the last three years while at the same time standard thermoplastic prices
have increased considerably. Now, some classes of biodegradable
polymers are price competitive with polymers such as PET.

The biodegradable polymers industry itself has established an agreed

framework for testing and certification and there is growing political
pressure in developed countries to reduce packaging waste and develop
a composting infrastructure. Biodegradable polymer producers have also
invested in product and process improvements. Finally, consumers and
brand owners are beginning to recognize the benefits of sustainable or
‘green’ packaging.

Four main classes of biodegradable polymers are analyzed in this report,

polylactic acid (PLA), starch-based polymers, synthetic biodegradable
polymers, such as aromatic aliphatic co-polyesters, and
polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). The report analyses their key performance
properties, applications development, market drivers and future
prospects. Each product section also contains an estimate of market size
by world region and end use market, plus forecasts to 2010. There is also
an analysis of key suppliers and their products.

Key Features

• Biodegradable polymers market size by geographic region, polymer

type and end use sector, 2000 and 2005, plus forecasts to 2010.
• Market opportunity analysis by end use sector, such as packaging,
bags and sacks, foodservice, agriculture, medical, consumer products
and fibres.
• Illustrations of product and applications development over the last
three years.
• Supply chain analysis: including details of thirty leading biodegradable
polymer suppliers and profiles of around fifty of the world’s leading
biodegradable polymer processors.

Analysis of biodegradable polymer performance properties, market

drivers, applications and product developments.
Biodegradable polymers are polymers that break down and lose their
initial integrity. Biodegradable polymers are used in medical devices to
avoid a second operation to remove them, or to gradually release a drug
History
First medical use : Catgut sutures
Biodegradable polymers were used in the times of the Romans. One
desired property of a suture is that it slowly degrades as the wound
heals. The Romans used cat gut, though this elicited a bad inflammatory
response.
Applications
Applications of biodegradable polymers include sutures, controlled drug
release, and tissue engineering. Biodegradable polymers also could be
implemented in drug delivery. The polymer slowly degrades into smaller
fragments, releasing a natural product, and there is controlled ability to
release a drug. The drug slowly releases as polymer degrades.
Biodegradable polymers have been used to coat a stent and release
drugs in a controlled way.
A holy grail is to create organs, such as the kidney from basic
constituents. Scaffolding is necessary to grow the entity into a
functioning organ. The scaffolding should dissolve away and needs to be
biocompatible.
Another application involves the breakdown in landfills after being strong
during its useful lifetime.
Required Properties
Biodegradable polymers should be 1) non-toxic, 2) capable of
maintaining good mechanical integrity until degraded, and 3) capable of
controlled rates of degradation. A goal is not to illicit the immune
response, and the products of degradation also need to be non-toxic.
With regard to controlled degradation, is it possible to trigger
degradation?
A goal is to control the rate at which water can get into polymers. Factors
controlling the rate of degradation include: 1) percent crystallinity, 2)
molecular weight, 3) hydrophobicity. The degradation rate depends on
the location in the body. The environment surrounding the polymer is
different depending on the location in the body
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that will decompose in natural aerobic
(composting) and anaerobic (landfill) environments.
Biodegradation of plastics can be achieved by
enabling microorganisms in the environment to metabolize the molecular
structure of plastic films to produce an inert humus-like material that is
less harmful to the environment. They may be composed of
eitherbioplastics, which are plastics whose components are derived from
renewable raw materials, or petroleum-based plastics which utilize an
additive. The use of bio-active compounds compounded with swelling
agents ensures that, when combined with heat and moisture, they
expand the plastic's molecular structure and allow the bio-active
compounds to metabolize and neutralize the plastic.
Biodegradable plastics typically are produced in two forms: injection
molded (solid, 3D shapes), typically in the form of disposable food
service items, and films, typically organic fruit packaging and collection
bags for leaves and grass trimmings, and agricultural mulch.
Scientific definitions of biodegradable plastic
In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission is the authoritative
body for biodegradable standards.
ASTM International defines appropriate testing methods to test for
biodegradable plastic, both anaerobically and aerobically as well as in
marine environments. The specific subcommittee responsibility for
overseeing these standards falls on the Committee D20.96 on
Environmentally Degradable Plastics and Biobased Products. The current
ASTM standards are defined as standard specifications and standard test
methods. Standard specifications create a pass or fail scenario whereas
standard test methods identify the specific testing parameters for
facilitating specific time frames and toxicity of biodegradable tests on
plastics.
Currently, there are three such ASTM standard specifications which
mostly address biodegradable plastics in composting type environments,
the ASTM D6400-04 Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics,
ASTM D6868 - 03 Standard Specification for Biodegradable Plastics Used
as Coatings on Paper and Other Compostable Substrates, and the ASTM
D7081 - 05 Standard Specification for Non-Floating Biodegradable
Plastics in the Marine Environment.
The most accurate standard test method for anaerobic environments is
the ASTM D5511 - 02 Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic
Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion
Conditions. Another standard test method for testing in anaerobic
environments is the ASTM D5526 - 94(2002) Standard Test Method for
Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under
Accelerated Landfill Conditions, this test has proven extremely difficult to
perform. Both of these tests are used for the ISO DIS 15985 on
determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials.
Examples of biodegradable plastics

While aromatic polyesters are almost totally resistant to microbial attack,

most aliphatic polyesters are biodegradable due to their potentially
hydrolysable ester bonds:

Naturally Produced: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) like the poly-3-

hydroxybutyrate (PHB), polyhydroxyvalerate (PHV) and
polyhydroxyhexanoate (PHH);

Renewable Resource: Polylactic acid (PLA);

Synthetic: Polybutylene succinate (PBS), polycaprolactone (PCL)

 Polyanhydrides
 Polyvinyl alcohol
 Most of the starch derivatives
 Cellulose esters like cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose and their
derivatives (celluloid).

Environmental benefits of biodegradable plastics depend upon

proper disposal
Biodegradable plastics are not a panacea, however. Some critics claim