For a number of years, plastic wastes have been accumulating at such a rate that there are now huge environmental concerns with their disposal. Options such as landfill and incineration have not been well received by the public, or indeed government legislation, and focus is now firmly upon the use of biodegradable alternatives for mass applications. One material that has been considered for mass application has been polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). To date, the use of this material has been confined to comparativey low technology applications such as paper coatings and fibre sizing, which rely upon its inherently poor resistance to moisture to initiate degradation and ultimate disposal. This Rapra Review Report provides a concise introduction to polyvinyl alcohol - the material itself, the processing and applications, and also potential future directions for PVOH.