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<ns3:p>Plant-based single-use food-contact materials are increasingly promoted as environmentallypreferable alternatives to conventional plastics, largely based on their biodegradability. However,biodegradation performance is rarely assessed alongside toxicity-related biological endpointsrelevant to soil–plant systems, thereby limiting its applicability as an indicator of environmentalsafety. This study evaluated the environmental safety of selected plant-based single-use biodegradablefood-contact materials by integrating biodegradation testing with ecotoxicological assessment. Fivecommercially available materials based on wood–plastic composite (WPC), avocado seed-basedbioplastic (ASB), polylactic acid (PLA), sugarcane bagasse fibres (SCF), and palm leaf fibres (PLF)were investigated. Environmental effects were assessed through physicochemical characterisation,hazardous-element leaching from aqueous extracts, phytotoxicity testing using Lepidium sativum L.,and soil dehydrogenase activity (DHA), while biodegradability was evaluated by mass loss duringa 12-week soil incubation. Rapidly biodegradable lignocellulosic products (SCF and PLF) exhibitedthe highest mass loss (34–98%) and showed enhanced chemical mobilisation and adverse biologicaleffects, including inhibition of root growth (up to 35%). In contrast, polymer-based materials (PLA,ASB and WPC) showed negligible biodegradation (<2%), yet their leachates significantly suppressedsoil microbial activity, reflected by a 34–59% decrease in DHA. Overall, biological responses weremore closely related to leachate chemistry than to biodegradation rates, indicating thatbiodegradability alone is insufficient as a criterion for environmental safety assessment andhighlighting the need for integrated regulatory frameworks.</ns3:p>