Biodegradable plastics: A review

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Abstract
In this paper, the approach of biodegradation to reduce the environmental impact of plastic wastes is reviewed. The mechanism of biodegradation and the processing and applications of these materials are also discussed in relation to the structural characters of their molecules. The synthetic biodegradable materials such as starch based biodegradable materials are compared with naturally occurring biodegradable materials such as poly(hydroxy butyrate) (PHB) in terms of their applications, processing difficulty, and degradation mechanism. The future trends of these materials are anticipated.