The first part of the book establishes the importance of biobased and biodegradable plastics in response to the mainly petroleum based plastics, while the technical and industrial aspects of biobased and biodegradable plastics, such as resources, manufacturing, recycling and regulations, are comprehensively treated in the second part. The next part deals with the challenges of an increase in biobased and biodegradable plastics, such as the impact on plastic recycling efforts and the necessary regulatory framework, and addresses the impact on markets and users. The book closes with selected examples of cutting edge research from around the world.