Can the use of biodegradable plastic polymers reduce reliance on landfills?

The use of biodegradable plastic polymers can indeed reduce reliance on landfills. This is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Firstly, biodegradable plastics can be degraded by microorganisms under suitable environmental conditions and converted into components such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass, significantly reducing the duration of their presence in the environment. Traditional plastic bags and other plastic products usually take decades or even hundreds of years to degrade, while biodegradable plastics can be completely degraded within a few months to a few years. This faster degradation rate means that biodegradable plastics are less likely to accumulate in landfills, reducing the pressure of landfill use.
Secondly, the production process of biodegradable plastics is usually more environmentally friendly. They usually use biological resources as raw materials, such as corn starch, without requiring non renewable resources such as oil. This production method reduces dependence on limited resources and also lowers environmental pollution during the production process. When these biodegradable plastic products are discarded, they can be quickly degraded in the natural environment through composting and other methods, thereby reducing the demand for landfills.
In addition, the widespread application of biodegradable plastics also helps promote the formation of more environmentally friendly consumption and waste habits in society. With the continuous improvement of people's awareness of environmental protection, more and more people are paying attention to the biodegradability and sustainability of products. Biodegradable plastics, as an environmentally friendly material, can meet this demand and encourage people to reduce their dependence on traditional plastics in daily life, thereby reducing the pressure on landfills.
In summary, the use of biodegradable plastic polymers can indeed reduce reliance on landfills. However, to achieve this goal, it still requires the joint efforts and cooperation of the entire society. On the one hand, it is necessary to strengthen the research and promotion of biodegradable plastics; On the other hand, it is also necessary to raise public awareness and participation in environmental protection, and jointly promote waste reduction and resource recycling.