Plastic Waste Treatment: Value Recovery First, with Biological Approaches Holding Promise

Under carbon-neutrality targets and sustainable-development goals, there is a great need for more environmentally approaches to manage plastic waste. Beyond landfilling, incineration, and mechanical recycling, chemical upcycling and biodegradation address distinct objectives. The former retains material value; the latter reduces environmental burden where valorization is infeasible. However, neither approach is yet fully mature; clarifying the scientific rationale of upcycling and defining when biodegradation is appropriate can guide future exploration.