In the current era of constantly rising environmental awareness, degradable plastic bags, as an important solution to "white pollution", should have developed rapidly. However, in the actual promotion process, they have faced many development obstacles, which restrict their wide application. ​

First, the production cost is relatively high and the price lacks competitiveness

Raw material cost: Biodegradable plastic bags mostly use bio-based materials such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). The production processes of these raw materials are complex, and the extraction and processing are difficult, resulting in raw material costs that are much higher than those of traditional plastics. For instance, the cost of producing ordinary polyethylene plastic bags is approximately 8,000 yuan per ton, while the cost of degradable plastic bags mainly made of PLA is as high as 20,000 to 30,000 yuan per ton. The huge gap in raw material costs makes it difficult for degradable plastic bags to compete with traditional plastic bags in terms of price. ​

Production equipment and technology costs: The production of degradable plastic bags requires specialized equipment and technology. Enterprises need to invest a large amount of funds in equipment purchase, technology research and development, and process improvement. The construction cost of the new production line is high. Moreover, due to the technology not being fully mature, the scrap rate during the production process is relatively high, which further drives up the production cost, keeps the product price high and hinders market promotion. ​

Second, the technology is not yet fully mature and its performance has limitations

The degradation conditions are harsh: Currently, the degradation of degradable plastic bags requires specific conditions, such as suitable temperature, humidity and microbial environment. In natural environments, especially in cold, dry or microbial-deficient conditions, its degradation rate is slow or even non-degradable. For instance, in the low-temperature environment of northern winters, the degradation process of some degradable plastic bags almost stops, making it difficult to achieve the expected environmental protection effect. ​

Insufficient performance stability: Compared with traditional plastic bags, some degradable plastic bags have certain gaps in terms of strength, flexibility, water resistance, etc. During the process of carrying heavy objects or long-term use, problems such as cracking and deformation are prone to occur, which cannot meet some usage scenarios with high packaging requirements, such as express delivery transportation and heavy object packaging, thus limiting its application scope. ​

Third, the market awareness is low and consumption habits are difficult to change

Insufficient consumer awareness: Many consumers have limited understanding of the concept, performance and environmental significance of degradable plastic bags, and even have misunderstandings. Some consumers believe that degradable plastic bags have no essential difference from traditional plastic bags, or they are worried about their safety and practicality, which leads to a weak willingness to purchase. Furthermore, due to the high price of degradable plastic bags, consumers are more inclined to choose traditional plastic bags with lower prices, which puts degradable plastic bags at a disadvantage in market competition. ​

Insufficient motivation for enterprise promotion: For enterprises, replacing with degradable plastic bags means increased costs and requires a significant investment of effort in market promotion and consumer education. In the absence of a fully stimulated market demand, enterprises lack sufficient motivation to actively promote degradable plastic bags and are more willing to continue using traditional plastic bags with lower costs, which further hinders the market popularization of degradable plastic bags. ​

Fourth, the recycling system is not perfect and degradation treatment is difficult

Lack of unified recycling standards: At present, China has not yet established a complete recycling system for degradable plastic bags, and there is a lack of unified recycling standards and norms. Biodegradable plastic bags are difficult to distinguish from traditional plastic bags in appearance, which leads to the easy situation of mixed collection and transportation during the recycling process, affecting the recycling efficiency and quality of biodegradable plastic bags. ​

Insufficient degradation treatment facilities: Even if degradable plastic bags are recycled, their degradation treatment still faces difficulties. The existing garbage disposal facilities mainly deal with traditional garbage, and there is a serious shortage of facilities specifically designed for the disposal of degradable plastic bags. Some degradable plastic bags cannot be properly disposed of in landfills or incineration plants, thus failing to fully leverage their environmental advantages. ​

The biodegradable plastic bags face multiple obstacles such as cost, technology, market and recycling during their development process. It requires the joint efforts of the government, enterprises and all sectors of society to gradually break through them and achieve the wide application and sustainable development of biodegradable plastic bags. ​