Based on a simulation, the authors also predicted that over 400 million metric tons of SOs would be present in the ocean by 2050, including those capable of thermal decompose at 30 \({}^{\circ}\)C. In addition, compostable and biodegradable polymers, which can disintegrate in the environment, represent a sustainable alternative to non-biodegradable polymers derived from petroleum. Compostable plastic articles can be collected and thus treated in municipal/industrial facilities, thereby capturing and delivering organic residues and diverting organic waste from landfills. More importantly, biodegradable polymers can reduce the impact of leaked plastics on the environment since some of them can also disintegrate in natural environments and thus be reincorporated into the natural cycle. This is the case of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), which are also renewable since they are synthesized by bacteria and other microorganisms (mainly using sugars). However,these and other thermoplastic biodegradable polymers usually lack sufficient physical properties to be properly applied in food packaging. In this context, [PERSON] et al. [PERSON] et al. (2017) prepared microstructures of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) via atomization to reinforce films of PHBV, a PHA copolymer. The authors also explored the capacity of two reactive compatibilizers, namely, a multi-functional epoxy-based styrene-acrylic oligomer (ESAO) and a combination of triglycidyl isocyanate (TGIC) with dicumyl peroxide (DCP), to improve the properties of the PHBV/MFC composites by enhancing filler-matrix adhesion. It was observed that the incorporation of MFC via reactive extrusion with TGIC and DCP led to green composite films with contact transparency, enhanced thermal stability, mechanical strength, and ductility, and high barrier performance with respect to aroma vapor and oxygen, thus unveiling new opportunities in the food packaging field. The environmental impacts of plastic packaging can also be mitigated by the use of paper in combination with biodegradable polymers, which are both derived from natural resources and can be easily composted together. [PERSON] et al. [PERSON] et al. (2018) proved that PHBV is an excellent material for paper-coating applications by developing PHBV/paper/PHBV multilayer sheets using heat-sealing technology. The authors observed that double coatings of PHBV successfully improved mechanical resistance and ductility, protected from moisture, and also reduced the aroma and oxygen permeances of paper, inducing a minimal effect on its optical and thermal properties and provoking a slight reduction in the aerobic biodegradation and disintegration of paper. Finally, plastic materials can be successfully sorted and recycled by means of different strategies of waste management. While waste collection systems are evolving, novel postconsumer recycling technologies are being developed, including mechanical (secondary) recycling or reprocessing and chemical (tertiary) recycling or depolymerization-repolymerization. All these advanced recycling technologies can contribute to building an effective after-use plastics economy, but other options such as pre-consumer (primary) recycling in plastic factories and thermochemical (quaternary) recycling can also favor the development of a more sustainable plastics industry. In this regard, the research carried out by [PERSON] et al. [PERSON] et al. (2018) focused on determining the influence of the process temperature on the composition of gases produced during the pyrolysis of pre- and postconsumer waste pharmaceutical blisters (WPBs) in order to enhance waste valorization. Pyrosis, a thermal decomposition process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, could effectively separate plastic from the metal fraction of WPBs in order to recover aluminum and generate gaseous fuel. The authors demonstrated that high temperatures favor the production of larger amounts of process gas rather than oil and wax.