Bioplastics and their role in achieving global sustainability

Ying Jian Chen

Abstract

In recent years, bioplastics are becoming increasingly prominent owing mainly to scarcity of oil, increase in the cost of petroleum-based commodities, and growing environmental concerns with the dumping of non-biodegradable plastics in landfills. In the present paper, we first discuss the definition and basic facts as well as the major advantages of bioplastics, then the main differences between plastics and bioplastics in packaging are briefly reviewed. Finally, possible future developments of bioplastics are prospected.