Biodegradability Evaluation of Materials and its Application in the Leather Industry

The biodegradability of materials is one of the most crucial factors in evaluating whether they are green and low-carbon. Herein, we summarize and compare the biodegradability test methods and standards for plastics, leather, and textiles in aqueous, compost, and soil burial environments, and introduce the recent advances in biodegradability of leather. Moreover, it is suggested that the future work concerning leather biodegradation should focus on accelerating the establishment of the standard system of leather biodegradability, and clarifying the relationship between leather chemicals and processes and leather biodegradability to support the sustainable development of leather industry.