''plastic' means a material consisting of a polymer as defined in point 5 of Article 3 of Regulation , to which additives or other substances may have been added, and which can function as a main structural component of final products, with the exception of natural polymers that have not been chemically modified;'. This has reportedly come about through heavy lobbying from industry and has led to the somewhat rhetorical suggestion in circulation that 'if you cook food, it becomes a single-use plastic'. Fortunately, the directive will be reviewed in 2027 (see Article 15). This will give manufacturers and scientists time to develop suitable protocols for a more accurate specification of biodegradability and a better mechanistic understanding of biodegradation for conceptual materials, that can be designed to have minimal ecosystem impact. Quoting (Article 15, point 3d): 'an assessment of the scientific and technical progress concerning criteria or a standard for biodegradability in the marine environment applicable to single-use plastic products within the scope of this Directive and their single-use substitutes which ensure full decomposition into carbon dioxide (CO2), biomass and water within a timescale short enough for the plastics not to be harmful to marine life and not to lead to an accumulation of plastics in the environment'. Of course, this motivation does not only apply to marine environments but also terrestrial ecosystems.