Misleading Claims: "Compostable" Plastic Fails to Decompose in the Ocean

A study has found that compostable plastic, such as polylactic acid (PLA), does not break down in the ocean, remaining unchanged for over a year. The research highlights the need for standardized tests to verify if materials advertised as compostable truly biodegrade in natural environments. The study emphasizes the difference between compostable plastics that require specific conditions for degradation and cellulose-based textiles that can biodegrade naturally. The accumulation of oil-based plastic waste in the ocean poses a significant ecological problem, as even when broken down into microplastics, they remain undigestible pollutants.