A plastic is considered a bioplastic if it was produced partly or wholly with biologically sourced polymers. A plastic is considered biodegradable if it can degrade into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass in a given time frame (dependent on different standards).Biodegradable polymers consist of ester, amide, or ether bonds. Based on their structure and synthesis, biodegradable polymers can be grouped into two large groups: Agro-polymers — They are derived from biomass. For example, polysaccharides (starch, cellulose), proteins (soy), lipids (polyhydroxyalkanoates), etc. specifies a method of determining the degree and rate of anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials. This test method is designed to yield a percentage of conversion of carbon in the sample to carbon in the gaseous form under conditions found in high-solids anaerobic digesters, treating municipal solid waste. This test method may also resemble some conditions in biologically active landfills where the gas generated is recovered and biogas production is actively promoted by inoculation, moisture control, and temperature control. Plastic test pieces are incubated for normally 15 to 30 days at 37 °C (mesophilic conditions) or 52 °C (thermophilic conditions). The degree of breakdown is determined by analyzing the CO2 and CH4 formation.

This is a very minor source of waste, composed largely of used (contaminated) medical devices, that typically finds controlled incineration treatment as infectious waste. There is little to no justification that the environmental fetish of biodegradability be pursued in this context - esp. as treatment to eliminate biohazard is necessary before presumed composting. Such treatment is expensive (gamma, autoclaving) and ,if chemical, incompatible with to biodegradation.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/health-care-waste