5. Biodegradability

An agro-based polymer is not necessarily biodegradable: the two concepts are not linked.

There are biodegradable agrosourced polymers (PLA), biodegradable non-agrosourced polymers (PCL), non-biodegradable agrosourced polymers (green PE) and non-biodegradable non-agrosourced polymers (PE).

The concept of biodegradability has been used for 40 years in the use of chemical products because of their impact on the environment. These products have long benefited from a worldwide regulatory framework. There are currently some twenty standards (CEN and ISO) concerning the biodegradability of materials, depending on the degradation medium (freshwater, seawater, soil, compost) and the material (textiles, packaging, objects, lubricants, detergents). In France, AFNOR standards on biodegradability exist for dispersants, surfactants, detergents, textiles...