With　the　increasing　demand　for　plastics,　plastic　pollution　is　growing　rapidly.　A　significant　amount　of　plastic　has　leaked　into　the　environment,　leading　to　severe　environmental　issues.　Biodegradable　plastics　are　considered　promising　alternatives　to　conventional　durable　plastics,　and　the　environmental　impacts　of　biodegradable　plastics　have　received　increasing　attention.　Poly　(butylene　adipate-co-terephthalate)　(PBAT)　is　a　commercial　and　cost-competitive　biodegradable　polymer　and　has　been　applied　in　the　packaging　and　agriculture　sectors.　The　environmental　performances　of　PBAT　with　second-generation　feedstocks　from　forestry　waste　have　been　rarely　investigated.　Since　China　is　the　leading　global　producer　and　exporter　of　PBAT　polymer,　Chinese　cradle-to-gate　life　cycle　inventories　of　PBAT　were　compiled　in　this　study.　A　comparative　life　cycle　assessment　(LCA)　was　conducted　to　explore　the　potential　for　environmental　performance　of　PBAT　with　second-generation　bio-based　feedstock　compared　to　fossil-based　PBAT　and　conventional　plastics.　The　results　showed　that　feedstocks　contributed　to　more　than　70　%　of　18　environmental　impact　categories　of　fossil-based　PBAT.　In　comparison,　PBAT　with　second-generation　bio-based　feedstock　reduces　the　environmental　loads　in　16　impact　categories　by　15-85　%,　and　renewable　energy　substitution　has　the　potential　to　reduce　environmental　impacts　by　10　%.　Bio-based　PBAT　performs　better　than　PVC,　PP,　HDPE,　LDPE,　and　PET　in　16　impact　categories　by　15-80　%.　Bio-based　PBAT　has　GWP　of　3.72　kg　CO2　eq,　which　is　37　%　lower　than　fossil-based　PBAT　(5.89　kg　CO2　eq)　and　18-32　%　lower　than　conventional　plastics.　Since　feedstock　dominates　the　environmental　performance　of　PBAT,　the　development　of　biomanufacturing　technologies　for　bio-based　polymers　and　chemicals　could　significantly　improve　environmental　performance　of　biodegradable　plastics　and　promote　the　sustainable　development　of　the　plastic　industry.　Results　could　serve　as　the　basis　for　environmental　impact　and　mitigation　strategies　for　biodegradable　plastics　with　bio-based　feedstocks,　as　well　as　the　sustainable　development　of　the　PBAT　industry.