Plastics pollution—on land and in marine systems—remains a critical global challenge due to the persistence of conventional polymers and the proliferation of microplastics. This workshop provides a scientifically rigorous examination of polymer design strategies that enable verifiable biodegradability and compostability, focusing on measurable end-of-life (EoL) outcomes rather than marketplace claims.
The workshop will detail the biochemical and physicochemical mechanisms governing polymer biodegradation, including carbon‐flux requirements, environmental dependencies, and kinetic constraints. Particular emphasis is placed on internationally recognized ASTM and ISO standard methods that define and quantify biodegradation, including the requirement that compliant materials achieve >90% conversion of polymer carbon to CO₂ under specified conditions.
The lecture also analyzes persistent misconceptions—especially unsupported claims that additives such as oxo-degradants, enzymes, or organic compounds can render polyolefins (PE, PP) biodegradable, or that such materials biodegrade in landfills. These assertions are inconsistent with established biodegradation pathways and lack empirical validation.
Certified biodegradable and compostable polymers are evaluated in the context of organic waste-management systems. Their role in diverting food, paper, and green waste to industrial composting is quantified, including greenhouse gas mitigation potential (e.g., ~1.74 MMT CO₂-eq reduction per 1.84 MMT of composted municipal biodegradable waste). Emerging technologies such as instrumented bioreactor composters—from household to industrial scales—are also discussed.
Finally, the workshop highlights mathematical and statistical modeling approaches for interpreting biodegradation data from ASTM/ISO tests. These models enable estimation of t₉₀ values (time to 90% biodegradation) in lower-temperature environments, including soils and marine systems.
