Degradation in Real Liquid Environments

However, for the fate of biodegradable plastics in liquid environments, not only the aspect of avoiding waste has to be considered, but also biodegradability as a novel property for special applications of plastics is an important consideration. 

The prevention of marine environment pollution, for instance, is regulated by the MARPOL Treaty. This international convention prohibits the disposal of any plastics waste in the oceans, e.g., from ships or from offshore platforms. The International convention generated activities to check if biodegradable plastics used as an alternative to conventional polymers are suitable to be degraded in a marine environment [2]. A further problem exists from littering, where plastic items are washed away to the sea by rivers or blown by wind from tbe shores and can cause the death of numerous marine animals [3]. 

Especially in Japan, the Fisheries Agency is active in developing fishery equipment, (e.g., fishery nets), which are hiodegradahle and do not cause permanent harm to sea life when lost during fishing [4], 

This chapter covers the biodegradation in real liquid environments as well as in especially designed laboratory test systems, and also reviews the role of aqueous test environments of national and international standards in evaluating the biodegradability of plastics. 

The prevention of marine environment pollution, for instance, is regulated by the MARPOL Treaty. This international convention prohibits the disposal 

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