The ubiquitous plastic bag is handy for transporting groceries and other items home from the store. However, this convenience takes a toll on the environment, with plastic debris littering land and waterways. Manufacturers offer biodegradable or compostable plastic bags, but in many cases, these claims have not been tested in natural environments. Now, researchers report in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology that the bags do not degrade in some environments any faster than regular polyethylene.
Source: EurekaAlert, https://www.eurekalert.org