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Oxo-biodegradable Polyolefin Plastics for Commodity Applications
Some world renowned scientists have focused on the development of additive technologies that work with ordinary polyolefin plastics in a two-step process that accelerates oxidation and then biodegrades. These prodegradant additives control these processes in a highly predictable and manageable manner in all conditions whenever you find a source of oxygen and naturally occurring microorganisms1 (air, soil, landfill, compost, litter). This two-step process is commonly referred to as “oxo-biodegradation”. see www.oxo-bio.org.
EcoBio Oxo-Biodegradable Trash Bag products are engineered to degrade and totally fragment in 90 to 120 days and 60% mineralize / biodegrade in a further 12 to 24 months after disposal. EcoDegradable products are engineered for disposal in a landfill and under these conditions will degrade and fragment at a slower rate (12 to 18 months).3
The proprietary additives used in the EcoBio and EcoDegradable family of products have been extensively tested for ecotoxicity4, all components are on the FDA – GRAS list, they comply with FDA requirements for direct food contact9 and CONEG8 regulations for heavy metal limitations. There are no harmful residues that could accumulate in the soil. They have also undergone full-scale landfill3 and commercial compost trials4,5. In the compost trials, after sieving, compost that contained bags modified with these same proprietary additives met the highest standard as fertilizer under the “Austrian Compost Quality Seal”.
The good news for our environment is that with the use of degradable / biodegradable additives, in addition to Reduce and Reuse – “Recycling” can take on a whole new meaning as the “organic carbon” in EcoBio modified commodity plastics can be safely returned to the natural bio-cycle in predictable and controllable timeframes.
Price & Performance
EcoDegradable®and EcoBio Oxo-Biodegradable plastic products have been developed, are commercially available and are in everyday use. For, example, EcoSafe® Oxo-Biodegradable Bags and Liners are well accepted as, unlike competing products, they provide the performance of ordinary plastic in use, and their slower mineralization after disposal adds to the fertility of the compost for soil application.
The PSI Solution
Plastics Solutions is committed to actively participate within a cross-industry coalition and with environmental groups and legislators to find solutions that avoid the necessity of punitive taxes and total bans on plastic bags. It is our view that the solution for plastic as a pollutant must be dealt with it at the source when it is made. It has to be affordable within reasonable business models.
The PSI solution is to deal with the cause of the problem at the point it enters our environment. “Bioinert” plastics can be modified with prodegradant additives such as EcoBio products to speed oxidization and safely return the carbon to the natural bio-cycle as a food source for microbes. This can be achieved within predictable and controllable time frames, thereby helping to mitigate the need to deal with the problems caused by accumulating plastic as litter.
Supporting Scientific Documentation
1. Dr. Billingham / CIBA Paper on Oxo-biodegradable plastics at “The 7th World Conference on Biodegradable Polymers” Pisa Italy – June 2002
– Joint presentation with CIBA Chemicals, a world leader in Agricultural Mulch films at “The 7th World Conference on Biodegradable Polymers” in Pisa Italy.
2. Challenge of D5338 – June 1999.
– Nine pre-eminent Scientists in various fields of polymer science and micro biology challenge the validity of the “6-month” period of mineralization under ASTM D5338 and other harmonized standards that limit the application of the standard to only those products that chemically hydrolyse before the onset of biodegradation.
3. MJ Carter Report – “Assessment of the Physical Degradation in a Landfill Environment of Plastics Manufactured with TDPA®” – December 2002.
– Full scale landfill trials – TDPA® modified films lost >95% of their MW in less than 10 months at ambient temperatures of 20°C to 30°C in the landfill.
4. Dr. Bernard Raninger, University of Leoben, Austria – “Biodegradability of EPI TDPA™ - polyethylene Recoverable through Composting and Biodegradation Under Practice Relevant Conditions and Testing Of the Quality of the Compost” – June 2000.
– Full scale compost trial in Austria / Ecotoxicity, germination, plant and worm survival, no toxic or harmful residues, qualified result compost as fertilizer, Dr. Raninger concluded the products were biodegradable and compostable.
5. Professor Emo Chiellini Universita Degli Studi Di Pisa – “Evaluation of the Ultimate Biodegradation of Pre-Oxidized EPI TDPA® - Polyethylene Samples – February 2003"
– The interim report concluded that “pre-oxidized PE samples are undergoing microbial attack by microflora present in soil, even under mesophilic conditions (20°C – 30°C). The biodegradation level reached after 24 months is 64% as measured at weight ratio of soil to plastic equal to 25/1. Within the same time frame standard PE films undergo negligible biodegradation (less than 2%) under the same conditions.”
6. Summary of ASTM D6400-99 Test Methods & Correlation of Test Methods to Real World Composting Results – Dr. Ramani Narayan & Steve Mojo, BPI International
– Comparison of real world composting and lab scale trials as defined in ASTM D6400. In real world composting conditions yard trimmings, food scraps and polymeric materials are expected to disintegrate and safely support microbial activity and humification. “During curing, materials need to continue to support microbial activity, humification and to disintegrate adequately; thereby not being distinguishable from other components in the compost.” and “After land application, compost components are expected to continue their degradation process and enhance soil productivity.”
7. CONEG
– State legislation that sets limits for heavy metal content in packaging.
8. FDA Direct Food Contact
– Complies with FDA requirements for direct food contact. |
