biodégradable
Biodegradable is the capacity of a material to be broken down by microorganisms into natural substances such as water, carbon dioxide, methane, biomass, and minerals. The term is widely used for plastics, packaging, and other products. In French, the form biodégradable is used; in English, biodegradable is the standard spelling. Biodegradability depends on environmental conditions (temperature, moisture, oxygen, microbial communities) and the chemical structure of the material.
A material that is biodegradable is not necessarily environmentally beneficial in all settings. Biodegradation may occur
Common biodegradable materials include natural polymers such as cellulose or starch, and certain bioplastics such as
Standards and labeling: standards such as EN 13432 (EU) and ASTM D6400 (US) set criteria for compostability