As economies reopen after the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, pressing issues such as the plastic crisis are back in the deliberation room. Biodegradable plastics may or may not solve the global plastic pollution but at least show that something can still be done to avert the problem. Plastics, after all, are unmatched when it comes to material applications for packaging, medical devices, automotive, consumer goods, textiles, buildings, and other industries. During the months-long joust with the coronavirus, plastics outperformed other materials as effective barriers against infection transmission. The market for biodegradables, already witnessing billion-dollar growth, is anticipated to bloat in the coming"new normal"years towards an increasing use of single-use, disposable products without jeopardising the environment. Utilisation of raw materials that are renewable, easily accessible and in abundant supply is favouring the preference for biodegradable plastics as a go-to solution.
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