The 7th World Conference on "Biodegradable Polymers & Plastics" held in Tirrenia (Pisa)--Italy in June 2002, as a renamed continuation of the International Scientific Workshops on "Biodegradable Polymers and Plastics" started in 1989, focused on the following topics:

• Environmentally Degradable Polymeric Materials (EDPs)



• Water-soluble/Swellable Biodegradable Polymers



• EDPs from Renewable Resources



• Biopolymers



• Bioresorbable Materials for Biomedical Applications



• Biorelated Polymers



• Standards and Regulations on EDPs

This issue contains most of the contribution from this conference.