What is biodegradability?
Biodegradability is the natural process of decomposition of organic matter. There are 4 contributing elements: humidity, oxygen, temperature and micro-organisms.
The Process:
Bio-fragmentation: Fragmentation of the material by biological means.
Bio-assimilation: reabsorption of molecules or molecular fragments through the metabolism of micro-organisms.
Mineralization: Transformation of the primary elements of the material into CO2 and/or CH4, H2O and new biomass.
This is how the material is reassimilated by and into the ecosystem.
What is compostability?
Composting is the purposeful optimization of the biodegradation process. This consists in triggering and maintaining, in the most effective possible conditions, a process that happens spontaneously in nature.
Composting can happen at the industrial level in a composting station (OK Compost label), it can happen naturally (OK Biodegradable label) and it can happen at the level of the individual household (OK Home Compost label).
What are biopolymers?
Biopolymers are a kind of polymers that exist within or that are synthesized by living organisms. Of particular interest are those that can be extracted from renewable resources (natural resources that can be replenished at the same rate as they are consumed) and used in the manufacture of bioplastics.
What are bioplastics?
Bioplastics are a new class of materials derived from biopolymers found in renewable plant resources. Some but not all of these new materials are designed to biodegrade. When they are intended to be biodegradable, they need to meet strict quality and performance levels to be in conformity with the EN 13432 standard.
What are the benefits of biodegradable bioplastics based on plant matter?
Made from at minimum 40% organic matter from plant resources (i.e. renewable), this type of bioplastic provides significant environmental benefits as it reduces the use of materials based on fossil fuels (i.e. non-renewable) and consequently also reduces CO2 emissions.
Biodegradability also confers upon the material the ability to be reclaimed or discarded in the same way as natural organic matter. Flexibility regarding the end of lifecycle disposal is made possible by the organic origin of the material's carbon component.
These properties make a critical difference regarding earth-bound and marine accumulation of discarded bags in the environment.
Will bioplastics eventually replace all petroleum based plastics?
The potential for growth in the use of these materials is high but bioplastics are not at this time suitable for all applications and it remains unlikely that they will entirely replace conventional plastics in the foreseeable future.
What is the production capacity for bioplastics in Europe and worldwide?
In 2008 bioplastics production capacity was 300,000 metric tons worldwide of which 120,000 was from European manufacturers.
What is a biodegradable plastic?
A material is called biodegradable if, when it is degraded by microorganisms, the result is the output of water, of CO2 and CH, and eventually of by-products that are not toxic for the environment such as new biomass. This definition is found in at least 5 of the applicable standards (ISO, CEN). (ADAME 2005).
Biodegradable plastics are materials that conform with this definition and with the NF EN 13432 standard for bioplastics.
Is there a difference between a biodegradable and a compostable plastic?
Not if they meet the NF EN 13432 standard of July 2000.
This standard defines the biodegradability and composting criteria applicable to packaging in Europe. All materials meeting the requirements of this standard are deemed biodegradable and compostable.
Are bioplastics recyclable?
It is important to make a distinction between a material that is recyclable and one that is actually recycled. To be recycled, a recyclable material must first be collected and sorted. Consequently, most recyclable products are not currently recycled because of difficulties with post-use collection and sorting.
That said, bioplastic packaging materials meeting the NF EN 13432 are recyclable in addition to being biodegradable and compostable.
How to distinguish a fragmentable plastic from one that is biodegradable?
Typically, those plastics called oxo-degradable or even sometimes oxo-biodegradable are merely conventional plastics based on fossil fuels that have been laced with oxydating additives. While this augments the speed at which they breakdown in the environment, the process still releases the same toxic agents.
These plastics are not made of plant based materials and do not meet the requirements of the NF EN 13432 standard.