Biodegradable Plastics

The Biodegradable Plastics Association has called on the EU to correct this flawed Directive and Embrace certified oxo-biodegradable Technology to Reduce Plastic Pollution

16^th March 2026

The Biodegradable Plastics Association (BPA) has formally called on the European Commission to correct a critical flaw in the Single‑Use Plastics Directive 2019/904, - warning that a poorly defined ban is unintentionally worsening plastic pollution by causing confusion which hinders the adoption of oxo‑biodegradable technology.

In a detailed submission to the Commission’s evaluation of the Directive, the BPA argues that the prohibition of so‑called “oxo‑degradable plastics” fails to distinguish between materials that merely fragment into microplastics and oxo‑biodegradable plastics, which are scientifically designed to biodegrade fully if they escape into the open environment, leaving no microplastics or toxic residues.

“As things stand, Europe is still allowing conventional plastics which persist for decades in soil and water, and create microplastics; while failing to embrace plastics that are specifically engineered to biodegrade safely if littered,” said the BPA Chairman. “That outcome directly undermines the environmental objectives of the Directive.”

A missed opportunity in the fight against plastic pollution

Plastic has delivered undeniable benefits to modern society, from food safety to reduced transport emissions. Yet recycling alone has proved insufficient to deal with plastic products at end of life. Globally, only a small fraction of plastic is recycled, while large volumes continue to escape from the circular economy and accumulate in the environment, where they fragment into persistent microplastics.

Oxo‑biodegradable technology was developed by polymer scientists 40 years ago to address this precise problem. It does not encourage littering, nor is it designed to replace recycling. Instead, it acts as an environmental safeguard: plastics made with this technology retain their full functionality and recyclability during use, but are engineered to biodegrade safely if they are lost to the environment.

Crucially, oxo‑biodegradable plastics do not simply break up into microplastics. Independent testing and scientific theory shows that the material undergoes a complete molecular transformation, enabling naturally occurring microorganisms to bio‑assimilate it, leaving no persistent plastic fragments or toxic residues.

Strong scientific evidence, overlooked by legislators

The BPA submission highlights extensive scientific evidence supporting oxo‑biodegradable plastics, including independent testing by ISO17025‑accredited laboratories and a major multi‑year marine study sponsored by the French government. These studies demonstrate effective biodegradation in real‑world conditions and confirm the absence of harmful microplastics. Policymakers should rely upon these specific tests, instead of relying on general academic publications and literature-reviews - many of which the BPA shows to be irrelevant and/or to contain fundamental errors.

There was no ban on degradable plastics in the Commission’s draft for this Directive, but despite the technical evidence, a restriction on what they called “oxo‑degradable” plastics was introduced in Committee in the EU Parliament without a scientific assessment, even though their own scientific experts were working on this at the time. There was also no environmental impact statement, or socio‑economic analysis, and the safeguards against arbitrary legislation in the REACH Directive were circumvented.

“Policy should be based on evidence, not commercial or political lobbying,” the BPA said. “In this case, the evidence clearly shows that oxo‑biodegradable plastics perform better in the open environment than ordinary plastics, yet they are being treated as if they were worse.”

Global standards, global divergence

While the EU has not changed its position, numerous countries around the world have adopted standards and legislation recognising the environmental value of oxo-biodegradable plastic, and some have even made it compulsory. These frameworks are based on internationally recognised test methods specifically designed to assess biodegradation in the open environment, rather than in industrial composting facilities.

The BPA warns that this growing regulatory divergence creates unnecessary trade barriers and undermines Europe’s leadership on environmental policy.

“Plastic pollution is a transboundary problem,” the Association noted. “Europe cannot address it in isolation by relying solely on recycling targets and bans. It must also consider technologies that reduce harm when plastics inevitably escape into nature.”

A call for a proportionate, science‑based amendment

The BPA is not calling for a rollback of environmental ambition, and is not against re-use redesign and recycling. Instead, it urges the Commission to amend the Directive so that plastics which are scientifically certified to biodegrade safely in the open environment, without creating microplastics and to remain recyclable during use, are encouraged.

Such an amendment would align the Directive with its stated objective: reducing the long‑term environmental impact of plastic products, particularly those most likely to be littered.

“This is not about choosing between recycling and biodegradation,” the BPA emphasised. “It is about using every effective tool available to prevent plastic pollution and microplastics from accumulating in our environment.”

Next steps

The BPA has said it would be pleased to provide additional scientific documentation, participate in hearings, or engage with the evaluation team directly, and have requested a meeting before the end of June 2026. “If Europe is serious about reducing plastic pollution,” the BPA concluded, “it must be willing to correct past mistakes and embrace solutions that are backed by sound science. Oxo‑biodegradable technology offers exactly that opportunity.”

FOR THE FULL TEXT of the Submission see www.biodeg.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/BPA-Submission-to-EU-12.3.26.pdf