Bio Degradable PET pre forms

Oxobiodegradable products meet three of the four criteria in the above standards - they meet the particle size, mineralization and compost compatibility (as pr. ASTM D6954-4)

The only standards that currently exist are for 'compostable plastics' (hydro-biodegradable) and these are not designed for oxo-biodegradable products.

How do Bio-Plas products meet international standards for degradable plastics?

All that is left of a product containing Bio-Plas after complete degradation is H2O, CO2 and biomass. After Phase I (the physico-chemical degradation) short low molecular weight compounds (< MW 5.000) remain - these are subsequently biodegraded by Fungi, Bacteria and Algae to CO2, H2O and new biomass.

What is left after the degradation process?

There are no difficulties with regards to the shelf life of the degradable product

How is shelf life of PET Bottles products

Yes. Oxo-biodegradable end products containing Bio-Plas may enter the recycling stream. Industrial scale testing up to 80 % added Bio-Plas containing plastics show that there is no effect on the process or the product and no "follow-on" effect. In some cases the recycled granulate might be improved from improved blending.

Can degradable products be recycled?

No. There are two broad categories - oxo-biodegradable and hydro-biodegradable, sometimes called starch based. These starch based products tend to degrade slightly faster but are known not to be as strong as industrial oxo-biodegradable ones (e.g. they are too weak to carry liquor bottles). They meet the international compostable plastic standards that were designed for them. Hydro-biodegradable products cannot be commingled in the existing recycle stream as they have a totally different chemical structure than conventional plastics

Are all degradable products the same?

Biodegradable plastic - a degradable plastic in which the degradation results from the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae.

Oxo-biodegradable plastic - a plastic designed to undergo a significant change in its chemical structure under specific environmental conditions resulting in a loss of properties and thereupon actions of micro-organisms completes the degradation/biodegradation (as described in ASTM D 6954-04).

Definitions of the types on degradable plastics:

How is oxo-biodegradation different from biodegradable?
Oxo-biodegradable plastics degrade as a result of physical and chemical oxidation impact, the molecule in chains are fractured into smaller and smaller pieces and after a certain point biodegradation takes over and all that will remain is H2O, CO2 and biomass. Biodegradable plastics degrade as a result of aerobic and anaerobic bacterial activity. Unlike conventional plastics and oxo-biodegradable plastics, bio-polymer plastics are made by starch (usually corn or sugar) - PLA materials.

The chemical mechanism of ox biodegradation is a oxygen radical chain splitting that degrades the long chain polymers and at the same time 'oxygenates' them with hydroxy and carboxy groups to make the small (MW 1.000-5.000 amu) molecules hydrophilic and bioavailable .The Oxobiodegradable additives catalyze the natural process to make the polymer degrade with a designed life time. 

What is the chemical mechanism of ox biodegradation?

would without the inclusion of a degradation accelerator

The oxo-biodegradation process uses two methods to start the biodegradation. These methods are photo degradation (UV) and thermal oxidation. The UV degradation uses UV light to fragment and degrade the product. The thermal oxidation process uses time, and heat to break down the plastic. Both methods rapidly reduce the molecular weight of the plastic and allow these fragments to biodegrade much faster than they naturally

What is oxo-biodegradation?

There are mainly two types - oxo-biodegradable (oxygen) and hydro-biodegradable (moisture), sometimes called starch based. Both degradable solutions use oxygen to degrade (although Hydrobiodegradable will degrade anoxically also - producing Methane). The starch based products tend to degrade slightly faster but these materials are known not to be as strong as oxo-biodegradable ones (e.g. in bag form structurally they are too weak to carry liquor bottles). They meet the international compostable plastic standards that were specifically designed for them (ASTM D6400/EN 13432). Hydro-biodegradable products are designed to enter an industrial composting system. Starch Based (PLA)  hydro-biodegradable products cannot be recycled. They should not enter the existing recycling stream as they have a totally different chemical structure that of conventional plastics.

What are the different types of degradable plastics?

Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms (96% of Bacteria are aerobic - active in the presence of oxygen). There is therefore complete compatibility between the Bacterial floral and Oxobiodegradable degradation pathways. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management, environmental remediation (bioremediation) and to plastic materials, due to their long life span. The use of oxo-biodegradable additives significantly accelerates this streak down/disintegration process in conventional packaging plastics.

          Food Safe Meets FDA (USA) and EFSA What is biodegradation?

          No adverse toxicological effects or by-products

Also, until now, economic, product performance and manufacturing issues have all been insurmountable barriers to the plastics industry's goal of achieving a cost effective degradable and biodegradable single use plastic bottle.

As consumer "green" movements build momentum and governments begin to levy fines and legislate penalties against producers and consumers of non-biodegradable plastics, the need for a proactive response by manufacturers, converters, consumer product companies and their retailers becomes an important strategic initiative.

Contact:  David Gale   1-604-779-4650  

The first bio degradable PET bottle that is completely clear as well, has a very attractive pricing stratedgy.