Bioplastics are a group of materials with varying mechanical properties and uses. A material can be defined a bioplastic based on one or more of the following characteristics:

Materials that can be broken down by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and enzymes into natural substances including carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. Biodegradation depends on environmental conditions such as temperature, oxygen availability, and microbial activity, and can occur in environments like soil, freshwater, marine, or composting systems.

Materials derived partially or fully from renewable biological sources such as plants, cellulose, sugars, vegetable oils, or food waste. Bio-based content describes the origin of the material’s carbon and does not imply biodegradability or compostability.

Depending on the above features, Bioplastics are grouped in three categories:

Materials that are both bio-based and biodegradable or compostable, combining renewable sourcing with controlled end-of-life degradation. Examples include PHA, PBS, starch blends, and other advanced biopolymers. Depending on formulation, these materials can also offer enhanced functional properties such as improved flexibility, mechanical performance, and barrier characteristics.

Materials derived partially or fully from renewable biological sources (biomass) instead of fossil fuels. Examples include bio-PE, bio-PA, and bio-PET, which are chemically identical to their conventional counterparts and offer the same durability and performance. Bio-based content refers to the origin of the carbon, not biodegradability or compostability.

Fossil-based plastics engineered to biodegrade or compost under specific environmental conditions. Materials such as PBAT, PCL, and PVOH break down through microbial activity in systems like industrial composting, soil, or freshwater environments, depending on their formulation and certification. These materials enable controlled end-of-life degradation while maintaining performance during use.

Simply put, biodegradation is a natural process in which microorganisms break down materials into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Compostability is a specific, controlled form of biodegradation that occurs under defined conditions and timeframes. In Europe, industrial compostability is certified under standards such as EN 13432 and EN 14995.

Most importantly, materials can be labelled as biodegradable or compostable but this doesn’t mean in every environment (the goal of all Oimo Advanced material ranges).

Materials designed to compost in home environments such as garden compost bins, without the need for industrial conditions. Decomposition occurs through natural microbial activity under ambient temperatures and variable moisture and oxygen levels. While suitable for home composting systems, these materials are not guaranteed to biodegrade effectively in other environments such as freshwater or marine ecosystems. Among natural environments, marine conditions are generally the most challenging for biodegradation.

Materials that compost only under controlled industrial composting conditions, including elevated temperatures, regulated humidity, oxygen levels, and optimized microbial activity. These conditions enable efficient breakdown within certified composting systems. Without access to industrial facilities, these materials may degrade very slowly, similar to conventional durable or fossil-based plastics.

In addition to being compostable, materials can be designed to be biodegradable in specific environments in case they end out of waste management systems.

Products are designed to completely biodegrade in soil without negatively affecting the surrounding environment. Testing is typically carried out under controlled laboratory or semi-field conditions that simulate natural soil environments, including defined temperature, moisture content, aeration, and microbial activity. Standard methods such as ISO 17556 are commonly used, measuring biodegradation through CO₂ evolution under aerobic conditions.

Typical timeframe: often several months up to ~1–2 years, depending on material thickness, formulation, and soil conditions.

Water-degradable materials biodegrade in natural freshwater environments such as rivers and lakes. Look out for OK biodegradable Water certification from TÜV Austria or DIN CERTCO. Having biodegradability in freshwater does not guarantee biodegradability in marine conditions. Testing is generally conducted under aerobic aquatic conditions at controlled temperatures using standardized methods such as ISO 14851 / ISO 14852, measuring oxygen demand or CO₂ evolution.

Typical timeframe: usually weeks to a few months, depending on temperature, microbial activity, and material structure.

Materials have the ability to biodegrade in both aerobic marine environments without leaving ecotoxic residues. They can be certified under the OK biodegradable Marine standard by TÜV Austria or DIN CERTCO, with testing performed according to ASTM D6691. Testing is carried out in natural or artificial seawater under controlled laboratory conditions at lower temperatures, using standardized microbial communities.

Typical timeframe: typically several months up to ~6–24 months, as marine environments are significantly slower due to lower temperatures and reduced microbial activity.