there is disclosed the preparation of a degradable polymeric material consisting essentially of an organic polymeric base containing a degradation - promoting amount of a partially degraded organic polymer . the organic polymeric base and the degradation - promoting additive may be derived from the same or different polymers . the invention is especially useful in controlling the environmental deterioration of plastics . the rate of deterioration is a function of the environmental conditions such as light , oxygen , and temperature ; the concentration of the additive ; and the chemical structure of both the base and the additive .