Biodegradable polyesters: Packaging goes green

In the past five years, a broad range of synthetic biodegradable resins based on aliphatic polyesters and aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have been commercialized by global suppliers. Demand for biodegradable polyesters is said to be growing by about 30%/yr, though from a relatively small base, and North America is belatedly catching up with other regions in finding packaging applications for these materials.