FAQ's
- What is the difference between biodegradability and compostability?
- What is the difference between bio-based and renewable materials?
- What are Oxo-degradables?
- Does the processing of Ecoflex and Ecovio require new equipment?
- Will Ecoflex/Ecovio break down into smaller pieces of plastic and remain in a compost?
- Will Ecoflex/Ecovio decompose when placed on the ground or on the shelf?
What is the difference between biodegradability and compostability?
What's biodegradable, what's not, and how it's done. There is a lot of confusion about terms like "biodegradable," "degradable," and "compostable." Many
people and companies use the words interchangeably and some make claims about products without testing or relevant scientific data. "Biodegradation" is not
the same as "degradation." "Landfilling" is not the same as "composting."
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Biodegradable Complete "biodegradation" occurs only when microorganisms consume degraded plastic as food, converting it to CO2 and water and releasing energy to drive their life processes. Microbes completely remove biodegradable plastic from the environment, leaving no fragments or residue. Degradable The action of light, chemicals or partial biodegradation can leave "degraded" plastic fragments or residues in the environment. The degraded materials can migrate into the water table, where they can attract highly toxic chemicals such as PCB and DDT at concentrations up to one million times their existing presence in the environment. The contaminants form hotspots of toxicity and can re-enter the broader food chain through small aquatic organisms. Compostable This is pretty close to biodegrable plastic but "greener". According to the American Society for Testing & Materials, for plastic to be considered as coostable, it must be able to break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass at the same rate as paper. It also needs to look like compost, should not produce any toxic material and should be able to support plant life. Complete biodegradation of truly "compostable" plastics occurs only in a controlled composting environment. That is, a large commercial composting facility where compost is maintained at a temperature of 140°F for at least 10 consecutive days to begin the process. Complete composting does not occur in a typical landfill, your backyard bin, pit, pile or tumbling barrel. Nor on roadsides. Ecoflex® and Ecovio® biodegradable-compostable plastics are fully biodegradable compostable and fulfill all requirements of North American, European and Japanese standards for compostability and biodegradability of polymer products. Return to the Top What is the difference between bio-based and renewable materials?
Both good. Both over-used. And sometimes incorrectly. Is "biobased" biodegradable? Is "renewable" biobased or biodegradable?
Biobased A "biobased" product has a biological feedstock or feedstocks. For example, corn, soybeans, sugarcane or other grasses. The product can be 100% biobased or some lesser percentage. Renewable Corn, soybeans and sugarcane are also "renewable" feedstocks because we can harvest them each year and they grow again annually. Wood is a biobased feedstock, but renewable only over a much longer timeframe. Oil and natural gas are considered 'non-renewable'. However, even if a material is biobased and renewable, that does not necessarily mean that it is biodegradable or compostable. Likewise, some petroleum-based products, such as some synthetically based plastic resins, will biodegrade and compost, but may not contain any renewable components. The only certain way to know if a material or product is biodegradable-compostable is to confirm that it meets accepted scientific standards, verified by independent third-party testing. The Biodegradable Products Institute maintains a list of complying products. Ecoflex® is a fossil based compostable plastic that is not derived from renewable sources. Meanwhile, Ecovio - a blend of Ecoflex and PLA - contains renewable materials in form of PLA Return to the Top What are Oxo-degradables?
What lies beneath? Those seeking to capitalize on trends such as biodegradability and renewable sources do not always make accurate claims. The
International Biodegradable Polymers Association (IBAW) in Europe and the Biodegradable Products Institute in North America (BPI) are concerned about such
claims for oxo-degradable films. We share those concerns.
Few if any oxo-degradable products have met the testing requirements of ASTM 6400 or EN 13432. Independent testing on one brand of oxo-degradable film bags demonstrated that the degrading process virtually stops at elevated humidity. Heavy metal additives initiate the oxo-degradation process. Canada, however, regulates cobalt levels in products. Sample batches of oxo-degradable bags far exceeded Canada's allowable cobalt levels. Currently in North American, the ASTM has a proposed "Guide for Environmentally Safe Oxo-biodegradable Plastics." However, that standard has not yet been set, nor have oxo-degradable material manufacturers subjected themselves to any other recognized testing or certification programs. Return to the Top Does the processing of Ecoflex and Ecovio require new equipment?
No. Ecoflex and Ecovio can be processed on common extruders that process LDPE and other common plastics. The purge time after processing ranges from 45
minutes to an hour.
Return to the Top Did You Know...?
Each year American throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cups. Even 500 years from now, the foam coffee cup you used this morning will be
sitting in a landfill.
Will Ecoflex/Ecovio break down into smaller pieces of plastic and remain in a compost?
No. Composting is a chemical process which brings about a change in chemical composition of organic material. Ecoflex and Ecovio are fully compostable and,
during composting, they are converted to CO2, water, and biomass.
Return to the Top Will Ecoflex/Ecovio decompose when placed on the ground or on the shelf?
Ecoflex and Ecovio will only disintegrate in extreme conditions found only in composts. Exposure to atmospheric conditions will not initiate the composting
process.
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