New research suggests two of the world’s most common plastics, polyethylene and polypropylene, can fully biodegrade in nature without leaving microplastics behind. The findings come from Polymateria, working alongside Imperial College London and Malaysia’s Standard and Industrial Research Institute, SIRIM.
The study found that packaging made with Polymateria’s technology can completely break down in open, terrestrial environments within two years. Florence Huynh, the company’s vice president of innovations, said the process triggers a chemical transformation, turning plastic into a bioavailable wax. Natural elements like sunlight, heat, moisture and air drive the change. Microbes already present in soil then consume the wax entirely, leaving no toxic residue.
Testing by SIRIM recorded polyethylene biodegrading in 292 days and polypropylene in 269 days. Jose Jimenez Zarco, a synthetic biology researcher at Imperial College London, described the discovery as a breakthrough for materials once considered nearly indestructible.
Unlike compostable plastics, which require industrial composting facilities, this technology is designed to work in natural, unmanaged environments. Huynh said it integrates directly into existing plastics manufacturing processes. That means no new equipment is needed, which she said makes it immediately scalable for producers worldwide.
The research followed the BSI PAS 9017 standard rather than the more common EN 13432 compostability standard, since the two address different degradation pathways. It also underpins Malaysia’s SIRIM Eco 098 Ecolabel certification.
The technology has limits. Huynh noted it isn’t suited for products needing long lifespans, such as automotive parts, or for plastics like polystyrene and PVC, which could turn toxic if broken down this way.
The findings arrive as Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations push to strengthen plastic waste management and expand credible material alternatives.
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- Source: https://worldbiomarketinsights.com/new-study-finds-pathway-to-biodegrade-indestructible-plastics/
