Deciding between recycling of conventional plastics and developing biodegradable plastics is a complex issue because:

Conventional plastics-

"Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances."

Composition-

"Oil-based polymers is currently used in packaging applications. These are virtually all non-biodegradable, and some are difficult to recycle or reuse due to being complex composites having varying levels of contamination.

Biodegradable plastics-

"They are largely manufactured from renewable natural resources, to produce biodegradable materials with similar functionality to that of oil-based polymers."

Explanation:

Complex Issue-

Diversity of biodegradable materials and their varying properties makes it difficult to make simple, generic assessments such as biodegradable products are all ‘good’ or petrochemical-based products are all ‘bad’.Biodegradable packaging materials are most suitable for single-use disposable applications where the post-consumer waste can be locally composted.

Cotton was the very first

That is true tge cactus as a structural adaptation to its envirinment has it leaves reduced to spines. but this doesnt mean it cant produce food it produces food because of the presence of chlorophyll in its stem