(When the plastic has no label such as -- quot;BIODEGRADABLEquot;)
If your plastic is a true, petrol-chemical based, plastic....Chances are it will break down into small pieces and a number of its chemical compounds. In other words, the bag or bottle will no longer be but the materials that comprised it will continue to exist. These small particles and chemical compounds tend to then embed themselves in soil, float along in the water and the waterways, make themselves available to be ingested or inhaled by animals and humans like, etc.... I've placed two links down below. If you follow down the wikipedia link, there is discussion about a lack of standards and/or regulation with respect to what constitutes a biodegradable plastic in the first place. The second link includes a lot of information about the world of biodegradable plastics including a lot of the latest and greatest innovations.
