Plastics Biodegradation: The Situation Now and Its Potential Effects on Environmental Safety

Abstract

Plastics are made of polymers with a high concentration of petrochemical components derived from coal, oil, and natural gas and majority of fossil and bio-based plastics are not biodegradable. The aim of this paper is to provide a critical review of the current situation and potential environmental safety of plastic biodegradation by harvesting data and information from secondary sources. Data obtained show that there are several different kinds of plastics exists, including polypropylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polystyrene (PS) and that the environment is seriously threatened by the widespread use of plastics, poor waste management, and careless community behaviour about proper disposal. In Nigeria, more than 88% of the plastic garbage produced is not recycled. In the absence of appropriate waste management and litter control techniques, the use of biodegradable plastics for specialised applications is a promising idea. Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 is a brand-new bacterial strain that has been discovered to be capable of breaking down PET. High-density polyethylene was found to be negatively impacted by Achromobacter xylosoxidans. Therefore, a lot of research is being done to create methods for degrading polymers composed of fossil and biological sources as excellent techniques and environmentally acceptable strategies for waste management.