Biopolymers based on renewable resources and/or biodegradable are generating a growing interest in the plastics industry and society in general. The aim of this paper is to analyze the field of biopolymers, their current situatioriand recent advances and developments. Biopolymers will be analyzed by principal markets divided into three groups: polymers based on renewable resources (starch and cellulose), biodegradable polymers based on monomers biobased (vegetable oils and lactic acid) and biopolymers synthesized by microorganisms poly(hydroxyalkanoates (PHA)).