Biodegradation of plant-based and petroleum-based packaging tapes

China’s express delivery industry is developing rapidly, but the degradation and non-degradability of packaging tapes have been tremendously controversial and the degradation mechanism is not clear. In this work, the biodegradation behavior/mechanism and mechanical properties of the polypropylene-based tape (BOPP tape), polypropylene doped with calcium carbonate (BOPP/CaCO3 tape), and Plant-based tape (Plant tape) are discussed. It is found that the degradability ability and breaking strength of Plant tape are better than BOPP and BOPP/CaCO3 tapes. Simultaneously, the possible degradation mechanisms of three tapes under three degradation ways were presented, providing a theoretical basis for developing their potential uses in the green packaging, express, and electronic industries.