Biodegradable plastics firms warn EU Directive ‘flaw’ aids pollution
20 Mar 2026
The Biodegradable Plastics Association (BPA) has challenged the European Commission to correct what it calls “a critical flaw” in the Single‑Use Plastics Directive.
It says Directive 2019/904 is unintentionally worsening plastic pollution by hindering adoption of oxo?biodegradable technology.
The target of BPA criticism is the directive’s ban on oxo?degradable plastics, which it says fails to discriminate between plastics that fragment into microplastics and oxo?biodegradable plastics.
The latter, it says, are scientifically designed to biodegrade fully if they escape into the open environment, leaving no microplastics or toxic residues.
“Europe is still allowing conventional plastics which persist for decades in soil and water, and create microplastics, while failing to embrace plastics that are specifically engineered to biodegrade safely if littered.
“That outcome directly undermines the environmental objectives of the directive,” said BPA chairman Michael Stephen as the association made its submission to the Commission’s evaluation of the directive.
Worldwide, relatively little plastic is recycled, with substantial volumes accumulating in the environment, where they fragment into persistent microplastics.
Oxo?biodegradable technology was developed by polymer scientists 40 years ago to tackle the problem of plastics pollution. It ensured plastics retained full functionality and recyclability while in use, but engineered them to biodegrade safely when left in the environment.
The BPA complained that the general prohibition on “oxo?degradable” plastics was introduced in EU parliamentary committee without sufficient scientific assessment.
“Policy should be based on evidence, not commercial or political lobbying. In this case, the evidence clearly shows that oxo?biodegradable plastics perform better in the open environment than ordinary plastics, yet they are being treated as if they were worse,” the BPA said.
