Showa have invested heavily in EBT technology. This attaches an active ingredient to the gloves during the production process which significantly increases the rate of degradation to 1-5 years from over 100 years for standard nitrile gloves when disposed of in active landfill. Plastics marketed as "biodegradable" will contribute to plastic pollution if they are lost or littered. We should be mindful that they do not break down as quickly and completely in the environment as the term might imply and thus can harm wildlife and ecosystems. But if disposed of correctly there is proof that biodegradable plastics may provide a net benefit to the environment, especially when viewed in the context of millions of items of disposable clothing and PPE ending up in landfill every year. It is worth noting that these gloves (like nearly every disposable glove) are manufactured in the far east and so have a long journey to the UK. We must also consider the intended use of the products before celebrating that they're biodegradable. If gloves have been used for medical purposes they may need to go into clinical waste rather than landfill and would actually be incinerated regardless. Equally, if they are very heavily soiled or covered in oils/solvents, realistically this may also reduce their ability to biodegrade. Disposable gloves are often essential for a number of tasks and these represent a big step forward over typical options - however, it may be more eco friendly to consider using reusable gloves if safe and viable to do so.