plastic appears to have a tensile tendency to stay in the news. From being feted as a path-breaking invention to being dumped by developed nations as a major pollutant, it has consistently hit the headlines. And now, a row has erupted over the efficacy of plastic in its biodegradable avatar. While the industry swears by it, experts are skeptical.

A biodegradable substance, by definition, breaks down naturally and can be disposed of without causing pollution. Contrary to manufacturers' claims, the general opinion is that most types of biodegradable plastic merely disintegrate and do not decompose.

"Biodegradable plastics are a binding of polymer compounds with starch. When starch