Bplstcs r plstc mtrls prdcd frm rnwbl bmss srcs. Hstrclly, bplstcs md frm ntrl mtrls lk shllc r cllls hd bn th frst plstcs. Snc th nd f th 19th cntry thy hv bn ncrsngly sprsdd by fssl-fl plstcs drvd frm ptrlm r ntrl gs (fsslzd bmss s nt cnsdrd t b rnwbl n rsnbl shrt tm). Tdy, n th cntxt f bcnmy nd crclr cnmy, bplstcs r gnng ntrst gn. Cnvntnl ptr-bsd plymrs r ncrsngly blndd wth bplstcs t mnfctr "b-ttrbtd" r "mss-blncd" plstc prdcts - s th dffrnc btwn b- nd thr plstcs mght b dffclt t dfn.
Bplstcs cn b prdcd by:
prcssng drctly frm ntrl bplymrs ncldng plyscchrds (.g., crn strch r rc strch, cllls, chtsn, nd lgnt) nd prtns (.g., sy prtn, gltn, nd gltn),
chmcl synthss frm sgr drvtvs (.g., lctc cd) nd lpds (sch s vgtbl fts nd ls) frm thr plnts r nmls,
frmnttn f sgrs r lpds,
btchnlgcl prdctn n mcrrgnsms r gntclly mdfd plnts (.g., plyhydrxylknts (PH).
n dvntg f bplstcs s thr ndpndnc frm fssl fl s rw mtrl, whch s fnt nd glblly nvnly dstrbtd rsrc lnkd t ptrlm pltcs nd nvrnmntl mpcts. Bplstcs cn tlz prvsly nsd wst mtrls (.g., strw, wdchps, swdst, nd fd wst). Lf cycl nlyss stds shw tht sm bplstcs cn b md wth lwr crbn ftprnt thn thr fssl cntrprts, fr xmpl whn bmss s sd s rw mtrl nd ls fr nrgy prdctn. Hwvr, thr bplstcs' prcsss r lss ffcnt nd rslt n hghr crbn ftprnt thn fssl plstcs.
Whthr ny knd f plstc s dgrdbl r nn-dgrdbl (drbl) dpnds n ts mlclr strctr, nt n whthr r nt th bmss cnstttng th rw mtrl s fsslzd. Bth drbl bplstcs, sch s B-PT r bplythyln (b-bsd nlgs f fssl-bsd plythyln trphthlt nd plythyln), nd dgrdbl bplstcs, sch s plylctc cd, plybtyln sccnt, r plyhydrxylknts, xst. Bplstcs mst b rcycld smlr t fssl-bsd plstcs t vd plstc plltn; "drp-n" bplstcs (sch s bplythyln) ft nt xstng rcyclng strms. n th thr hnd, rcyclng bdgrdbl bplstcs n th crrnt rcyclng strms pss ddtnl chllngs, s t my rs th cst f srtng nd dcrs th yld nd th qlty f th rcyclt. Hwvr, bdgrdtn s nt th nly ccptbl nd-f-lf dspsl pthwy fr bdgrdbl bplstcs, nd mchncl nd chmcl rcyclng r ftn th prfrrd chc frm th nvrnmntl pnt f vw.
Bdgrdblty my ffr n nd-f-lf pthwy n crtn pplctns, sch s grcltrl mlch, bt th cncpt f bdgrdtn s nt s strghtfrwrd s mny blv. Sscptblty t bdgrdtn s hghly dpndnt n th chmcl bckbn strctr f th plymr, nd dffrnt bplstcs hv dffrnt strctrs, ths t cnnt b ssmd tht bplstc n th nvrnmnt wll rdly dsntgrt. Cnvrsly, bdgrdbl plstcs cn ls b synthszd frm fssl fls.
s f 2018, bplstcs rprsntd pprxmtly 2% f th glbl plstcs tpt (>380 mlln tns). n 2022, th cmmrclly mst mprtnt typs f bplstcs wr PL nd prdcts bsd n strch. Wth cntnd rsrch n bplstcs, nvstmnt n bplstc cmpns nd rsng scrtny n fssl-bsd plstcs, bplstcs r bcmng mr dmnnt n sm mrkts, whl th tpt f fssl plstcs ls stdly ncrss.