The 1996 International Symposium on Bacterial Polyhydroxyalkanoates, ISBP96, was held in Davos, Switzerland, from August 18 to 23, 1996, the latest in a series of successful international symposia on polyhydroxyalkanoates. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biological polyesters that not only are made and accumulated by microorganisms, but can also be biodegraded by the same and different microorganisms. About 150 academic and industrial participants contributed 30 invited papers and 70 posters at the Davos Symposium. The 19 papers in this proceedings illustrate the range of current work on polyhydroxyalkanoates, including clarification of the biosynthesis of PHAs and characterization and testing in various applications of these polyesters. They also show that there are major research activities in Europe, North America, and the Far East, with activities now also developing in South America.