Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms, petrochemicals, or combinations of all three.

Biodegradable bags are bags that are capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. Each year approximately 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide.