The Myth of Biodegradable Plastics Is Breaking Down

In recent years, at least a half-dozen countries have embraced plastics made with an additive intended to break them down into carbon dioxide, water and harmless organic matter. Proponents of these compounds, generally labeled oxo-biodegradables, promote them as a solution to the 80 million tons of plastic that foul forests, fields and waterways every year.

Illustration: Julia Dufossé for Bloomberg Businessweek

Sounds great, but independent scientists say there’s scant support for claims that oxo-biodegradable plastics disappear in nature, at least within a meaningful time frame—and governments worldwide are increasingly listening to them. The European Union banned such compounds in 2021, Switzerland and New Zealand ...