ReviewHeliyon2021
Environmental impact of bioplastic use: A review.
Review in Heliyon, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 87 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
87 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 498 citations in OpenAlex.
- How does plastic compare with alternative materials in the packaging sector? A systematic review of LCA studies.Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA · 2025Pooled it
- Lipases and Cutinases from Phytopathogenic and Saprobic Fungi in Plastic.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2027Article
- In Silico Study of Enzymatic Degradation of Bioplastic by Microalgae: An Outlook on Microplastic Environmental Impact Assessment, Challenges, and Opportunities.Molecular biotechnology · 2026Review
- Polysaccharides and carbohydrate polymers: innovations from nature to industry.Journal of the science of food and agriculture · 2026Review
- Toward Compostable Packaging: Biodegradable Polymer Blends with Biobased Components for Household Chemical Bottle-Layer Applications.ACS omega · 2026Article
- Article
- Article
- Silver Sulfobenzoate Coordination Polymers as Bioactive Dopants in Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Cellulose Films.ACS applied materials & interfaces · 2026Article
- Review
- Bioplastics Toxicity upon Ingestion: A Critical Review of Biotransformation and Gastrointestinal Effects.Polymers · 2026Review
- Sustainable Biopolymers for Environmental Applications: Advances and Future Perspectives Toward a Circular Economy.Polymers · 2026Review
- Exploring Lemon Industry By-Products for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production: Comparative Performances ofPolymers · 2026Article
- Review
- Mapping Global Research on Microplastics in Dental Science: Scientometric Trends, Collaborations, and Future Directions.International journal of dentistry · 2026Article
- Exploration of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Production Potential of Photosynthetic Microbes: A Sustainable Source of Bioplastic.Recent patents on biotechnology · 2026Article
- Microbial plastic degradation: enzymes, pathways, challenges, and perspectives.Microbiology and molecular biology reviews : MMBR · 2025Review
- Depolymerization of PLA catalyzed by guanidine-modified microgels.Chemical science · 2025Article
- Microorganisms and enzymes involved in polybutylene adipate terephthalate biodegradation.Applied microbiology and biotechnology · 2025Review
- Article
- Review
27 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Throughout their lifecycle, petroleum-based plastics are associated with many environmental problems, including greenhouse gas emissions, persistence in marine and terrestrial environments, pollution, etc. On the other hand, bioplastics form a rapidly growing class of polymeric materials that are commonly presented as alternatives to conventional petroleum-based plastics. However, bioplastics also have been linked to important environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and unfavorable land use change, making it necessary to evaluate the true impact of bioplastic use on the environment. Still, while many reviews discuss bioplastics, few comprehensively and simultaneously address the positives and negatives of bioplastic use for the environment. The primary focus of the present review article is to address this gap in present research. To this end, this review addresses the following questions: (1) what are the different types of bioplastics that are currently in commercial use or under development in the industry; (2) are bioplastics truly good for the environment; and (3) how can we better resolve the controversial impact of bioplastics on the environment? Overall, studies discussed in this review article show that the harms associated with bioplastics are less severe as compared to conventional plastics. Moreover, as new types of bioplastics are developed, it becomes important that future studies conduct thorough life cycle and land use change analyses to confirm the eco-friendliness of these new materials. Such studies will help policymakers to determine whether the use of new-generation bioplastics is indeed beneficial to the environment.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.