<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Biodegradation of plastics bags advertised as 100%-degradable or certified as compostable was tested in composting conditions. Samples were placed into frames and inserted into one clamp within the compost pile to investigate the biodegradation. The plastics bags were obtained from chain stores in the Czech Republic and Poland. The shopping bags were made of HDPE with the TDPA additive (sample 2), PP with an addition of pro-oxidants (d2w) (samples 1, 3) and materials certified as compostable (starch, polycaprolactone) (samples 4, 5, 6, 7). Control sample (cellulose filtering paper, sample 8) was to check the potential of biological decomposition in the tested environment. At the end of the 12-week experimental period it was found that the polyethylene samples with the additive (samples 1, 2, 3) had not been decomposed, their colour had not changed and that no degradation neither physical changes had occurred (did not biodegrade). Samples certified as compostable (samples 4, 5, 6, 7) were decomposed. The results at the municipal compost facility demonstrate that the compostable plastics biodegrade and polyethylene samples with the additive did not biodegrade in compost.</p></abstract>

Biodegradation of plastics bags advertised as 100%-degradable or certified as compostable was tested in composting conditions. Samples were placed into frames and inserted into one clamp within the compost pile to investigate the biodegradation. The plastics bags were obtained from chain stores in the Czech Republic and Poland. The shopping bags were made of HDPE with the TDPA additive (sample 2), PP with an addition of pro-oxidants (d2w) (samples 1, 3) and materials certified as compostable (starch, polycaprolactone) (samples 4, 5, 6, 7). Control sample (cellulose filtering paper, sample 8) was to check the potential of biological decomposition in the tested environment. At the end of the 12-week experimental period it was found that the polyethylene samples with the additive (samples 1, 2, 3) had not been decomposed, their colour had not changed and that no degradation neither physical changes had occurred (did not biodegrade). Samples certified as compostable (samples 4, 5, 6, 7) were decomposed. The results at the municipal compost facility demonstrate that the compostable plastics biodegrade and polyethylene samples with the additive did not biodegrade in compost.

Evaluation of biodegradability of plastics bags in composting conditions

Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic, phone +420 545132484

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

{"article-title":"Evaluation of biodegradability of plastics bags in composting conditions"}

Biodegradation of plastics bags advertised as 100%-degradable or certified as compostable was tested in composting conditions. Samples were placed into frames...

Evaluation of biodegradability of plastics bags in composting conditions

Published Online: Apr 09, 2014

Page range: 45 - 57

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eces-2014-0004

Keywords
biodegradation, 100%-degradable bags, compostable bags, composting, real conditions

© by Magdalena Vaverková

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Evaluation of biodegradability of plastics bags in composting conditions

Published Online: Apr 09, 2014

Page range: 45 - 57

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/eces-2014-0004

Keywordsbiodegradation, 100%-degradable bags, compostable bags, composting, real conditions

© by Magdalena Vaverková

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
biodegradation, 100%-degradable bags, compostable bags, composting, real conditions