Explained: Biodegradable vs Compostable vs Non-Biodegradable plastics ♻️
Part of our larger plastics #infographic
https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/plastic-crisis-pollution-recycling-microplastics-bioplastics/

An infographic explains non-biodegradable plastics, noting that none of the six major plastic types are biodegradable. This mean many plastics rot, melt and fragment in the environment forming microplastics which pollute oceans and soils, while leaking harmful chemicals like phthalates and bisphenols.

An infographic explain compostable plastics which must completely disintegrated under composting conditions leaving no toxic materials. Plastics may be biodegradable but not compostable via the two composting routes: home (in a compost bin) or industrial (in special units)

Infographics conveys key information about biodegradable plastics which must completely disintegrate via natural biological processes. But most 'biodegradable' plastics only breaks down completely in industrial units. With 50% of plastics currently dumped in the environment, this means many plastics end up polluting nature as microplastics.