Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by the enzymes produced by living organisms. The term is often used in relation to ecology, waste management and environmental remediation (bioremediation). Organic material can be degraded aerobically, with oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen. A term related to biodegradation is biomineralisation, in which organic matter is converted into minerals. Biosurfactant, an extracellular surfactant secreted by microorganism enhances the biodegradation process. Biodegradable matter is generally organic material such as plant and animal matter and other substances originating from living organisms, or artificial materials that are similar enough to plant and animal matter to be put to use by microorganisms. Some microorganisms have the astonishing, naturally occurring, microbial catabolic diversity to degrade, transform or accumulate a huge range of compounds including hydrocarbons (e. g. oil), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceutical substances, radionuclides and metals. Major methodological breakthroughs in microbial biodegradation have enabled detailed genomic, metagenomic, proteomic, bioinformatic and other high-throughput analyses of environmentally relevant microorganisms providing unprecedented insights into key biodegradative pathways and the ability of microorganisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Biodegradable waste in landfill degrades in the absence of oxygen through the process of anaerobic digestion. The byproducts of this anaerobic biodegradation are biogas and lignin and cellulose fibres which cannot be broken down by anaerobes (anaerobic microbes) Engineered landfills are designed with liners to prevent toxic leachate seeping into the surrounding soil and groundwater. Paper and other materials that normally degrade in a few years degrade more slowly over longer periods of time. Biogas contains methane which has approximately 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. In modern landfills this biogas can be collected and used for power generation.

Biodegradable plastics . There are other plastic materials that claim biodegradability, but are more often (and possibly more accurately) described as 'degradable' or oxi-degradable. It is claimed that this process causes more rapid breakdown of the plastic materials into CO

The following table should be read with the above comments in mind, and care should be taken before accepting claims of biodegradability in view of the (dubious) claims being made.

The European Bioplastics Association Information on Bioplastics and Biodegradable Polymers, Market Information

Biodegradable waste is a type of waste, typically originating from plant or animal sources, which may be broken down by other living organisms. Waste that cannot be broken down by other living organisms may be called non-biodegradable. Biodegradable waste can be commonly found in municipal solid waste (sometimes called biodegradable municipal waste, or BMW) as green waste, food waste, paper waste, and biodegradable plastics. Other biodegradable wastes include human waste, manure, sewage, slaughterhouse waste.

Through proper waste management, it can be converted into valuable products by composting, or energy by waste-to-energy processes such as anaerobic digestion and incineration. Anaerobic digestion is the process in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen.

As part of an integrated waste management system, anaerobic digestion reduces the emission of landfill gas into the atmosphere. Composting converts biodegradable waste into compost. Anaerobic digestion converts biodegradable waste biogas and soil amendment (digestate). Incineration as well as biogas can be used to generate electricity and/or heat for district heating.

Biodegradable waste is an important substance due to its links with global warming. When it is disposed of in landfills, it breaks down under uncontrolled anaerobic conditions. This produces landfill gas which, if not harnessed, escapes into the atmosphere. Landfill gas contains methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. The European Union Landfill Directive puts key requirements on member states for the management of biodegradable waste in order to stop global warming.

Duh-buhl)]Material that, left to itself, will be decomposed by natural processes. Note. The use of biodegradable packaging is supposed to reduce the volume of waste in landfills.

Biodegradable bi·o·de·grad·a·ble (bī'ō-dĭ-grā'də-bəl) adj. Capable of being decomposed by biological agents, especially bacteria.

He claim biodegradable is often associated with environmentally friendly products. What exactly does this mean? I would define it as being able to be broken down by natural processes, into more basic components. Products are usually broken down by bacteria, fungi or other simple organisms. By this definition, most chemicals are biodegradable. the only thing differing would be the amount of time it takes to break down. A piece of bread will break down rather quickly, whereas a piece of plastic will take decades and beyond. Rate of breakdown may not be as important as what the product breaks down into. The ideal final products of any complex product of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen would be Carbon Dioxide(CO2) and Water (H2O). A majority of products are made mostly of these three elements. The previously mentioned piece of bread is made mostly of these, and after breaking down from complex sugars to simpler sugars, will eventually degrade to CO2 and H2O. This process would be accelerated if we ate the bread and our body would break it down and use it as energy, until only CO2 and H2O are left. In a perfect would all products would break down to CO2 and H2O. It gets more complicated with different chemicals. The banned pesticide DDT, is hazardous and toxic in its own right. It does biodegrade, rather slowly. The problem is that its breakdown products of DDD and DDE are even more toxic and dangerous than the original DDT. I ran across a popular cleaning product that proudly claims to be "biodegradable" and even has an environmentally pleasing name and color. The main (active) cleaning chemical is a nonylphenolethoxylate (NPE), made solely of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. This class of chemicals are considered suspicious because they are possible endocrine disruptors. This means they may mimic the endocrine hormones and may cause havoc with a female's reproductive system. NPE's do biodegrade to a benzene ring type structure and other simpler structures. This biodegrading may or may not lead to a less hazardous chemical, but still hazardous. Although it is biodegradable, this product is by no means environmentally friendly. Biodegradability is definitely a positive trait, yet it could be applied to virtually anything. What is a "green" consumer to do or look for? Try to be educated about the products you purchase. Read the label and reward companies which fully disclose the ingredients in their products. Also products based on natural ingredients are more, but not always, likely to be safer and degrade easier. Even though a product may say it is biodegradable, it may not be environmentally friendly. Written by. Mike Bianucci, Organic Solutions

Rather than mummifying dog poop in plastic bags, put your dog waste in biodegradable bags that naturally return to the earth.

BioBags are the industry standard for biodegradable bags. They will fully compost in 30-60 days in composting conditions.

The main environmental threat from biowaste is the production of methane in landfills, which accounted for some 3% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU-15 in 1995. The Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC obliges Member States to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste that they landfill to 35% of 1995 levels by 2016, which will significantly reduce the problem. The Commission's priority is to ensure that Member States comply with this legal requirement fully and on time. The Member States have a number of choices that they can take in terms of alternative treatment for this biodegradable waste, taking into account local conditions such as climatic conditions to the composition of the collected biowaste. These choices must be taken in a transparent manner - this is why the Commission proposed in the draft Waste Framework Directive to require Member States to include these choices in their national waste management plans. This proposal also requires Member States to assess to what extent their choice of options for the management of biowaste contributes to the environmental objectives defined in the Directive. To support the Member States in this future legal obligation, the Commission will provide criteria, in the form of a guidance document, to help with identifying the environmentally best option for the management of biowaste in the various countries and regions. One potential option is composting. Actions that need to be taken at the EU level to promote composting include the definition of quality standards for compost so that markets for compost can develop. The Commission will start working on the standards in 2007, so that they are available when the revised Waste Framework Directive enters into force following adoption by the Council and the European Parliament. This will play an important role in helping the Member States to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to composting policies, the lack of user confidence and market acceptance. It is also necessary to develop high environmental standards that can apply to facilities in which biological treatment takes place. This will be achieved through the upcoming review of the Directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (96/61/EC) under which national authorities issue permits for major industrial and agricultural installations based on the concept of Best Available Techniques (BAT). Lastly, the upcoming Thematic Strategy on Soil will address the wider subject of carbon depletion in soil and how to avoid and remedy it. This will take into account the potential of using compost as a means to increase the carbon content of soil. It will take the Member States some time to implement environmentally sound management of biowaste and the Commission will revisit the issue in the review of the Thematic Strategy on waste prevention and recycling in 2010. This review will assess the progress of the Member States and the need for additional measures, including additional legislative measures on top of the legislative measures already proposed in the Strategy package. Green Paper on the Management of Bio-waste in the EU Working Document accompanying the Green Paper Contributions to the consultation process should be sent to the Commission by 15 March 2009 by email to. ENV-BIOWASTE@ec. europa. eu or by post to. European Commission, Directorate-General Environment, Unit G4 Sustainable Production and Consumption, B1049 Brussels.

As foreseen in Communication COM(2005)666 on the Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste the Commission is preparing guidelines addressed to policy makers on the application of life cycle thinking to biowaste management policies. The Joint Research Centre (Institute for Environment and Sustainability at Ispra) is assisting DG Environment with this task and has entrusted to a consultant the preparation of a first draft of the guidance. The project includes two major steps. 1. Analysis and brief report on existing studies and related expertise 2. Development of guidelines with a supporting tool, documentation and data The guidelines and supporting tool will be developed with the direct involvement of an experts advisory panel and then submitted to a large stakeholder consultation. Updated information can be found at the JRC website devoted to the European life cycle thinking guidelines for the management of municipal biodegradable waste. The final document will be the first guidance document developed at European level on applying life cycle thinking to waste management policies. It will be followed by further guidance addressing comprehensively the application of life cycle thinking in waste management. Publications

The Commission supports extensive research in the area of biodegradable plastics. The Community funded BIOMAT website gives details on the extensive amount of bioplastic research that has been carried out over the past 15 years under the different framework programmes. There is substantial potential for research projects on bioplastics under the Seventh Framework Programme (2006 - 2010) across several themes, and particularily from the biorefinery and microbial routes. For more information on Community funding opportunities for research, see also.

Final Report (pdf~ 655K) Past Events Biological treatment of biodegradable waste - Technical aspects, Workshop in Brussels on 8-10 April 2002 Applying Compost - Benefits and Needs - Seminar in Brussels 22-23 November 2001 Useful Links European Composting Network Organic Recovery and Biological Treatment - ORBIT US EPA - Composting For any further information or clarification, please contact.

Biodegradable plastics made with plant-based materials have been available for many years. Their high cost, however, has meant they have never replaced traditional non-degradable plastics in the mass market. A new Australian venture is producing affordable biodegradable plastics that might change all that.

Our whole world seems to be wrapped in plastic. Almost every product we buy, most of the food we eat and many of the liquids we drink come encased in plastic. In Australia around 1 million tonnes of plastic materials are produced each year and a further 587,000 tonnes are imported. Packaging is the largest market for plastics, accounting for over a third of the consumption of raw plastic materials Australians use 6 billion plastic bags every year! Plastic packaging provides excellent protection for the product, it is cheap to manufacture and seems to last forever. Lasting forever, however, is proving to be a major environmental problem. Another problem is that traditional plastics are manufactured from non-renewable resources oil, coal and natural gas. Plastics that break down In an effort to overcome these shortcomings, biochemical researchers and engineers have long been seeking to develop biodegradable plastics that are made from renewable resources, such as plants. The term biodegradable means that a substance is able to be broken down into simpler substances by the activities of living organisms, and therefore is unlikely to persist in the environment. There are many different standards used to measure biodegradability, with each country having its own. The requirements range from 90 per cent to 60 per cent decomposition of the product within 60 to 180 days of being placed in a standard composting environment. The reason traditional plastics are not biodegradable is because their long polymer molecules are too large and too tightly bonded together to be broken apart and assimilated by decomposer organisms. However, plastics based on natural plant polymers derived from wheat or corn starch have molecules that are readily attacked and broken down by microbes. Plastics can be produced from starch Starch is a natural polymer. It is a white, granular carbohydrate produced by plants during photosynthesis and it serves as the plant's energy store. Cereal plants and tubers normally contain starch in large proportions. Starch can be processed directly into a bioplastic but, because it is soluble in water, articles made from starch will swell and deform when exposed to moisture, limiting its use. This problem can be overcome by modifying the starch into a different polymer. First, starch is harvested from corn, wheat or potatoes, then microorganisms transform it into lactic acid, a monomer. Finally, the lactic acid is chemically treated to cause the molecules of lactic acid to link up into long chains or polymers, which bond together to form a plastic called polylactide (PLA). PLA can be used for products such as plant pots and disposable nappies. It has been commercially available since 1990, and certain blends have proved successful in medical implants, sutures and drug delivery systems because of their capacity to dissolve away over time. However, because PLA is significantly more expensive than conventional plastics it has failed to win widespread consumer acceptance. Plastics can also be produced by bacteria Another way of making biodegradable polymers involves getting bacteria to produce granules of a plastic called polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) inside their cells. Bacteria are simply grown in culture, and the plastic is then harvested. Going one step further, scientists have taken genes from this kind of bacteria and stitched them into corn plants, which then manufacture the plastic in their own cells. What’s the cost? Unfortunately, as with PLA, PHA is significantly more expensive to produce and, as yet, it is not having any success in replacing the widespread use of traditional petrochemical plastics. Indeed, biodegradable plastic products currently on the market are from 2 to 10 times more expensive than traditional plastics. But environmentalists argue that the cheaper price of traditional plastics does not reflect their true cost when their full impact is considered. For example, when we buy a plastic bag we don’t pay for its collection and waste disposal after we use it. If we added up these sorts of associated costs, traditional plastics would cost more and biodegradable plastics might be more competitive (Box 1. Life cycle analysis). Biodegradable and affordable If cost is a major barrier to the uptake of biodegradable plastics, then the solution lies in investigating low-cost options to produce them. In Australia, the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science is looking at ways of using basic starch, which is cheap to produce, in a variety of blends with other more expensive biodegradable polymers to produce a variety of flexible and rigid plastics. These are being made into ‘film’ and ‘injection moulded’ products such as plastic wrapping, shopping bags, bread bags, mulch films and plant pots. Mulch film from biodegradable plastics The CRC has developed a mulch film for farmers. Mulch films are laid over the ground around crops, to control weed growth and retain moisture. Normally, farmers use polyethylene black plastic that is pulled up after harvest and trucked away to a landfill (taking with it topsoil humus that sticks to it). However, field trials using the biodegradable mulch film on tomato and capsicum crops have shown it performs just as well as polyethylene film but can simply be ploughed into the ground after harvest. It’s easier, cheaper and it enriches the soil with carbon. Pots you can plant Another biodegradable plastic product is a plant pot produced by injection moulding. Gardeners and farmers can place potted plants directly into the ground, and forget them. The pots will break down to carbon dioxide and water, eliminating double handling and recycling of conventional plastic containers. Different polymer blends for different products Depending on the application, scientists can alter polymer mixtures to enhance the properties of the final product. For example, an almost pure starch product will dissolve upon contact with water and then biodegrade rapidly. By blending quantities of other biodegradable plastics into the starch, scientists can make a waterproof product that degrades within 4 weeks after it has been buried in the soil or composted. Landfill sites aren't compost heaps To maximise the benefit of the new bioplastics we’ll have to modify the way we throw away our garbage to simply substitute new plastics for old won’t be saving space in our landfills. Although there is a popular misconception that biodegradable materials break down in landfill sites, they don't. Rubbish deposited in landfill is compressed and sealed under tonnes of soil. This minimises oxygen and moisture, which are essential requirements for microbial decomposition. For biodegradable plastics to effectively decompose they need to be treated like compost. Composting the packaging with its contents Compost may be the key to maximising the real environmental benefit of biodegradable plastics. One of the big impediments to composting our organic waste is that it is so mixed up with non-degradable plastic packaging that it is uneconomic to separate them. Consequently, the entire mixed waste-stream ends up in landfill. Organic waste makes up almost half the components of landfill in Australia. By ensuring that biodegradable plastics are used to package all our organic produce, it may well be possible in the near future to set up large-scale composting lines in which packaging and the material it contains can be composted as one. The resulting compost could be channelled into plant production, which in turn might be redirected into growing the starch to produce more biodegradable plastics. An Olympic effort recycling 76 per cent of waste For anyone who thinks such schemes aren’t feasible, you only have to look at the recycling success of the Sydney Olympics to see that where there’s a will, there’s a way. More than 660 tonnes of waste was generated each day at its many venues. Of this, an impressive 76 per cent was collected and recycled. Part of this success was due to the use of biodegradable plastics used in the packaging of fast food, making the composting of food scraps an economic proposition as it eliminated the need for expensive separation of packaging waste prior to processing. With intelligent use, these new plastics have the potential to reduce plastic litter, decrease the quantities of plastic waste going into landfills and increase the recycling of other organic components that would normally end up in landfills. Box 1. Life cycle analysis CREDITS

These disposable (and biodegradable, and compostable) dinnerware pieces are designed for elegant entertaining, indoors or out. They're attractive, unbleached, FDA-approved food-safe, and they're much sturdier than standard paper plates. (They're comparable to Chinet™ brand plates.) Not only are they made from renewable resources (see above), they're microwavable, freezer safe, oil resistant, and capable of handling hot or cold foods and beverages. After use, this product can be recycled for the making of paper, or 100% catabolized as compost. Dinnerware is sold in individual packs of 50 pieces, or by the case. Please select from the pull-down menu below. For bulk case purchases of these items, please click here.

The Biodegradable Polymer Research Center (BPRC) functions to carry out exploratory and fundamental research on biodegradable polymers to support the technological interests of its members. To realize this objective, the BPRC has been organized to merge expertise in microbial production of polymeric materials, organic transformations, plastics processing, materials characterization, biodegradation testing and environmental impact analysis. BPRCs goals are to - Develop biodegradable polymers that when disposed in biologically active environments are completely converted to biological products (biogas, humic matter, biomass, etc.) within a suitable period. The biodegradable polymers as well as degradation products must be environmentally compatible causing no deleterious effects on the environment. Maintain a research program which is at the forefront of the science and work in close partnership with industry from project inception to commercial evaluation. Bring together leading industrial and government scientists to foster close interactions and rapid transfer of new knowledge, methods and technologies between participants. Maintain a strong research team which consists of scientists having a range of skills within the disciplines of engineering, chemistry and biology to effectively accomplish Center research which is, by its nature, highly interdisciplinary. Educate students within the University in the emerging technology area of biodegradable plastics. This is accomplished through guided B. S., M. S. and Ph. D. thesis research and course work in Chemistry, Engineering, and Biology. Educate officials, politicians and any individuals involved in creating policy within the state and federal government of the technology which is currently available and in development which can be used towards reducing the serious problems currently faced in solid waste disposal. Provide leadership in stimulating biodegradable polymer science and technology within the international community through publications, presentations at meetings, founding and editing the Journal of Environmental Polymer Degradation, organization and planning scientific meetings on biodegradable materials and active participation in the Bio/Environmentally Degradable Polymer Society and the ASTM subcommittee on environmentally degradable polymers.

Dear EarthTalk. Is there a legal definition of biodegradable that companies have to meet in order to so-label their products? Bill Van Leeuwen, Hinsdale, IL There is no legal definition of biodegradable, but the American Society for Testing and Materials defines the term as a degradation caused by biological activity, especially by enzymatic action, leading to a significant change in the chemical structure of the material. The European Union deems a material biodegradable if it will break down into mostly water, carbon dioxide and organic matter within six months. But despite such precise sounding definitions, the term biodegradable has been applied to a wide range of productseven those that might take centuries to decompose, or those that break down into harmful environmental toxins. No Standards for Biodegradable Claim According to the Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports magazine), there are no specific standards for the biodegradable claim, and no official organization exists to verify the use of the claim. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the U. S., however, has issued some general guidelines on what types of products qualify as legitimately biodegradable, and has even sued companies for unsubstantiated, misleading and/or deceptive use of the term on product labels. According to the FTC, only products that contain materials that break down and decompose into elements found in nature within a reasonably short amount of time when they are exposed to air, moisture and bacteria or other organisms should be marketed as biodegradable. But the FTC acknowledges that even products appropriately-labeled as biodegradable may not break down easily if they are buried under a landfill or are otherwise not exposed to sunlight, air and moisture, the key agents of biodegradation. Biodegradable Does Not Guarantee Health or Safety Of course, just because a product or ingredient is biodegradable does not mean it is healthy or safe for people or the environment. For example, the toxic pesticide DDT biodegrades to the compounds DDD and DDE, both of which are more toxic and more dangerous than the original DDT itself. Consumers with questions about what qualifies a given product to carry a biodegradable label should contact the manufacturer directly. The Consumers Union maintains that if a manufacturer has solid scientific evidence demonstrating that the product will break down and decompose into by-products found in nature in a short period of time, then claiming that it is biodegradable is not deceptive. If you encounter a manufacturer that appears to be stretching the definition, file a complaint with the FTC. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to. EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P. O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881. submit it at. www. emagazine. com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail. us . EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

Our goal is to help businesses become leaders in sustainability and create a healthier environment for everyone. At BSI, we think it is important that biodegradable products work not only for the environment, but for your business.

Welcome to BSI Biodegradable Solutions. Your source for 100% biodegradable and compostable food service ware, food packaging, and flatware products.

BSI provides sustainable products for food beverage services and packaging. BSI designs and integrates waste management systems to work within existing facilities. BSI develops communication and promotional activities to increase customer awareness of your biodegradable packaging program.

BioBag Dog holds the distinction of being the first biodegradable and compostable plastic pooper bag in the world. It is one of our most popular products.

Picking up after your pet is part of being a responsible pet owner. In many communities, its also the law. We are constantly amazed when pet owners put 100% biodegradable dog waste into plastic bags that can take over 100 years to decompose. Now owners have a logical solution BioBag Dog. Remember, our goal is to help divert all naturally biodegradable waste from entering our landfills. This includes food waste, yard waste, paper waste and pet waste. If any of these items are placed in an anaerobic (air-locked) landfill, their natural ability to biodegrade can be severely diminished. The best solution for disposal of pet waste has always been to separate it from the bag or paper and flush it down the toilet. Using BioBags extends your options. The waste and the bag can be thrown in your backyard compost, where both items can decompose naturally. the waste and bag can be buried, where micro-organisms will quickly eat both. the waste and bag can be set at curbside with other yard waste where communities collect biodegradable waste for composting. Please check with your community for disposal options. This is what biodegradable waste separation is all about. We thank you for being concerned, responsible pet owners. We thank you for using BioBag Dog.

100% biodegradable, non-allergenic cat pan liner on the market. Cat waste should not be composted, as its composition can be quite toxic. Cat waste should always be scooped from the litter box and then put in your trash. There are a number of new biodegradable cat litters on the market. We also do not recommend flushing it down the toilet because cat poop may endanger sea otters . Using these biodegradable cat pan liners to dispose of the remaining biodegradable litter makes good environmental sense. Biodegradable cat pan liners are non-allergenic. Cats can be allergic to plastic and other known allergens. Allergies usually build up over time from constant contact with the allergen. Calicos, Tortiseshells, Black cats and Siamese cats are more prone to allergies than other breeds. If you suspect your cat has an allergy (red, itchy rashes), consult your veterinarian to determine the source. It is best to use hard-fired ceramic bowls, instead of molded plastic, for serving your cat food. Using a biodegradable cat litter made naturally from renewable grain crops may protect your cat from certain chemicals. Using BioBag non-allergenic liners is an environmentally safe way to further protect your pet.

Certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to meet the ASTM D6400 specification. Meets California SB 1749 requirements.

Branching out into other areas, such as biodegradable packaging, and production of replacement of existing plastic parts in various products. FDA Approval for food usgae, and production of biodegradable food packaging Biodegradable pots showcased in Melbourne, Australia's 'Home, Garden and Flower Exhibition 2006' Biodegradable pots feature in 'Better homes and Gardens' on Australian TV Biodegradable food containers and packaging receives strong interest in a Dubai trade show.

Our biodegradable pots and planters use a state of the art composite made of agricultural residues mainly bamboo pulp.

Our biodegradable products are an exciting new product with a wide range of possible uses. The result of years of research and development, our patented mix and process manufacturers a plastic like material 100% biodegradable, natural and totally environmentally friendly, while using readily available renewable resources such as bamboo and rice husks.

Our Company, EnviroArc is a company dedicated to researching, developing and manufacturing earth friendly products for both commercial and consumer use. We hope to bring about increased consumer awareness of their impact on the environment through quality, affordable and practical environmentally friendly alternatives. At the moment our main focus is on the development, manufacturing, production and marketing of our Biodegradable pots/planters, and biodegradable food containers, cutlery and cups. For more information on these and our other biodegradable ware please visit the following page. biodegradable products

Bioplastics. PLA derived from corn-starch Bioplastics are a new generation of biodegradable and compostable plastics. They are derived from renewable raw materials like starch (e. g. corn, potato, tapioca etc), cellulose, soy protein, lactic acid etc., not hazardous in production and decompose back into carbon dioxide, water, biomass etc. when discarded. Corn starch is currently the main raw material being used in the manufacture of bioplastic resins. Mater-Bi (main component corn-starch), and PolyActide (PLA) (made from corn-starch as well) are currently the 2 main resins (raw materials), being used today in the production of compostable biodegradable plastics and are certified for compostability under standards set by international organizations. However, other resins are coming into the market made from potato starch, soybean protein, cellulose etc. Most of these are currently not certified for compostability, though some are for biodegradability. The field of bioplastics is constantly evolving with new materials and technologies being worked on and being brought to market. Heat Resistance

Biodegradability & Compostability Bioplastics can take different length of times to totally compost, based on the material and are meant to be composted in a commercial composting facility, where higher composting temperatures can be reached and is between

Most existing international standards require biodegradation of 60% within 180 days along with certain other criteria for the resin or product to be called compostable. It is important to make the distinction between degradable, biodegradable and compostable. These terms are often (incorrectly) used interchangeably.

Is plastic which will undergo a significant change in its chemical structure under specific environmental conditions resulting in a loss of some properties. Please note that there is no requirement that the plastic has to be degrade from the action of naturally occurring microorganism or any of the other criteria required for compostable plastics. A plastic therefore may be degradable but not biodegradable or it may be biodegradable but not compostable (that is, it breaks down too slowly to be called compostable or leaves toxic residue). Estimated Composting Times The rate of biodegration for different biocompostables is dependent upon the composition and thickness of the material as well as composting conditions. Commercial composting facilities grind the materials, turn over the piles and reach high temperatures, thus reducing the amount of time it takes to compost and, is thus, the recommended method for composting these products. Home composting rates are slower and can vary, depending on how frequently the pile is turned over, the moisture and material content and the temperature. Standards There are currently few international organizations which have established standards and testing methods for compostability, namely.

In the USA, the BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certifies bioplastics under the ASTM us. standard for compostable plastics and awards their logo to products which pass this certification. The Natureworks resin is certified by BPIWorld. Org.

Product Description The Bags on Board refills fit any of the Bags on Board dispensers. Each roll contains 15 biodegradable bags. With Bags On Board you always have waste bags at hand. Product Description Bags on Board, a compact, refillable dispenser that attaches to any type of leash. Inside is a roll of doggie clean-up bags - this way dog owners will never have to remember to bring bags with them again!

Bags"/> Biodegradable Packaging|www. greenshell. co. th|Biodegradable/Compostable Packaging Cup, Cutlery, Plate, Box, Bag, Bowl"/>

We have been using Bags on Board for a couple years now. They are convenient for carrying with the specially designed leash-attach case. Since they are biodegradable, we even use them when we scoop out the kitty box. Amazon has the best price I've found on these baggies. When I don't have any other purchases to make, I purchase enough bags to qualify for free "super saver" shipping. We'll certainly use them! Did I mention they're biodegradable?

These really work well I've used this product for a long time as I've walked my dog. I appreciate it when others pick up after their dog, so I do the same. The bags being biodegradable is a real plus.

Excellent value These biodegradable bags are an excellent value for the number, durability and ability to keep in / seal the odor of its intended contents.

Picking up after your pet is part of being a responsible pet owner. In many communities, it’s also the law. We are constantly amazed when pet owners put 100% biodegradable dog waste into plastic bags that can take over 100 years to decompose. Now owners have a logical solution.

Remember, our goal is to help divert all naturally biodegradable waste from entering our landfills. This includes food waste, yard waste, paper waste and pet waste. If any of these items are placed in an anaerobic (air-locked) landfill, their natural ability to biodegrade can be severely diminished.

The best solution for disposal of pet waste has always been to separate it from the bag or paper and flush it down the toilet. Using biodegradable poop bags extends your options. The waste and the bag can be thrown in your backyard compost, where both items can decompose naturally. the waste and bag can be buried, where micro-organisms will quickly eat both. the waste and bag can be set at curbside with other yard waste where communities collect biodegradable waste for composting. Please check with your community for disposal options.

This is what biodegradable waste separation is all about. We thank you for being concerned, responsible pet owners.

Certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to meet the ASTM D6400 specification. Meets California SB 1749 requirements.

Landfill Placement of Bags. These bags are designed to be composted and returned naturally back to the earth. If they are placed in an “open” or “turned” landfill they will decompose at a rate similar to other biodegradable materials in the same setting. If they are placed in an anaerobic (air-locked) landfill and deprived of oxygen and the existence of the micro-organisms that “eat” naturally biodegradable materials, their ability to decompose will be severely restricted. This is true of all biodegradable materials placed in this setting, including paper, yard waste and food waste.

Eco-Products carries a full line of BioBag products that are certified compostable and biodegradable by ASTM standards. BioBag is the world’s largest manufacturer of compostable bags and biodegradable bags and has designed a biodegradable lawn and leaf bag that is better than plastic. Made from corn and other renewable resources, these durable bags will completely biodegrade in your compost bin in a matter of days. Stop putting leaves and yard waste into plastic bags that don’t biodegrade and start using compostable BioBags.

Less than 2% of plastic bags ever get recycled. Eco-Products carries a full line of BioBag compostable biodegradable trash bags/liners that help reduce the amount plastic in landfills. If disposed of in a compost bin, these bags will biodegrade in as little as 30-60 days in composting conditions. All compostable biodegradable BioBags meet ASTM standards and are made from corn and other annually renewable resources.

Stop mummifying your dog’s poop in plastic bags that don’t biodegrade and use a compostable biodegradable dog waste bag that will compost in a matter of 30-60days in composting conditions. Unlike imitation polyethylene plastic bags that “degrade” into small pieces of plastic, BioBags completely biodegrade into rich compost. These dog waste/poop bags are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute, meet ASTM standards and are made entirely from renewable resources. Eco-Products sells BioBag dog waste bags at prices that are competitive with plastic bags. Now there’s truly no reason to be using plastic!

Home composting in your kitchen is easy, fun and hassle free with the new MaxAir kitchen composting bin. The MaxAir kitchen compost bin is an odor free container that prevents the growth of fruit flies and bacteria with its advanced ventilating design. Put it under your sink and throw your food scraps and compostable items in it instead of down your drain or in your garbage. When the MaxAir kitchen composter is full, take the compostable biodegradable bag out and throw it in your composting bin in your yard. The items placed in the MaxAir kitchen composter will not begin composting until they are placed in a larger composting bin with composting conditions. No more odors. No more mess. No more fruit flies. Enjoy the fresh fertilizer your MaxAir kitchen composter helps you create.

Complete your purchase of the MaxAir Kitchen Composter with 3 gallon compostable biodegradable bags. Easy and convenient, just put one compostable bag in your kitchen composter, fill it in with organic waste and dispose of the full bag in your backyard compost bin. 3 gallon compostable biodegradable bags make home composting hassle free. No more rinsing smelly compost bins. No more mess.

Whether you're looking for printed plastic bags or grocery bags, Eco-Products has a full selection of biodegradable bags for your business. With biodegradable bags that look and feel exactly like plastic bags, you now have a viable alternative to plastic.

Additive put into the plastic at the extrusion stage will make the finished product "oxo-biodegradable" so that it will degrade and disappear in a short timescale, leaving no fragments, no methane and no harmful residues. Degradability is not a disposal option - you can still re-use and recycle - it is low cost insurance against the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. There is little or no on-cost, because d

100% Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) Bottle A liquid body cleanser, made from 100% biodegradable ingredients. All of Kiehl's net profits from the sale of this product will support the work of JPF ECO SYSTEMS, a charitable partnership created by Kiehl’s and Brad Pitt to maximize awareness of environmental sustainability. "Kiehl's formulated this product to minimize the impact we have on our environment. All proceeds will go to benefit green initiatives around the globe." - Brad Pitt Learn more about our partnership with Brad Pitt.

No question about it, Americans have an overconsumption problem. The total outstanding balance of bank-issued credit cards per consumer was $5,710 in December 2008, according to Transunion. Americans like to buy new things and throw out the old ones. We also like to own lots of stuff we don’t need. Retailers profit from this, but so do money lenders. And many of these excessive retail purchases end up on credit cards. Discover has taken a step toward sustainability by introducing a new card made of biodegradable plastic, which it says is the first. But how green can a credit card really be if serves to encourage consumption?

Discover launched their biodegradable credit card in response to greater consumer interest in green products, and we hope this will appeal to those interested in living a greener life, Discover publicist Laura Ingiss wrote in an email. The biodegradable Discover Card is another way for environmentally conscious consumers to do their part to help protect our planet, said Kelly Tufts, director of marketing planning and strategy at Discover. The card itself is made of biodegradable PVC, which breaks down 99% in nine months to five years in soil, water, compost, or whatever microorganisms are present (e. g. landfills or composts). Plus, the card leaves no toxic effect on the environment, she wrote in an email. Tufts also claims that Discover takes great care to make responsible choices, so this new plastic fits in well with the way Discover currently operates. She cited Discover’s effort to convert to paperless billing statements, which would be less expensive for the company anyway (greenwashing, greenwashing). Discover sent me a list of their green practices and many of them fell into this cost-reducing category. They do have a company-wide recycling program and a commuter program in two locations. They have also introduced a rideshare website that matches Discover employees at all locations. But why not produce all the cards from biodegradable plastic? What’s the real loss to the customer? Having card options is one of Discover’s selling points. Discover offers over 150 fun designs, from puppies and sports to fine art. But these cards won’t biodegrade. The biodegradable cards are available in standard designs only to Discover More, Motiva, Open Road and new card members.

Considering that credit card companies survive by encouraging overconsumption, it must be hard for them to reconcile this with sustainability. The result is this confused effort. Discover told me that they are encouraging customers who are interested in the biodegradable card to wait until their current cards have expired or worn out to replace them with the biodegradable card. But the Discover web site sends the opposite message to customers interested in the fun and fancy designs – you can charge your card’s look but keep the same account number! I’m all for a card that biodegrades, but what impact can it have if you’re still encouraging your customers to freshen up your card’s look by upgrading to a fancy design on a standard plastic card, and then using said plastic card to buy things you can’t afford with cash? It’s great that Discover invested in the RD to come up with a biodegradable card. But now that they’ve taken that step they should ensure that it has an impact. Otherwise, the only effect will be to draw some superficially eco-conscious credit card users, while other card members enjoy cutting up their cards whenever they expire and upgrading them to a new fancy design whenever they get tired of the old one. Once we see how consumers respond, we may consider making this design option available on other Discover Card designs, Tufts said in an email. I’m sure Discover will convert to all biodegradable plastic if the initiative comes from their customers. But this is not environmental stewardship, this is a marketing ploy. If you have to have a credit card, Discover’s biodegradable one is not a bad option. But it’s not really green. + Discover

Environmentally friendly plastics, give industry and consumers the power to choose a completely biobased biodegradable plastic solution.

Resins are produced by reactively blending biodegradable polymers, natural polymers, organic and inorganic materials to produce biobased/biodegradable polymer resin formulations that exhibit unique and stable morphology.

Corn used to be food. Now it's an ingredient for plastic. High oil prices, fears of toxins, and growing heaps of indestructible garbage are fueling interest in biodegradable plastics.

Biodegradable dog waste bag that is very eco-friendly. Dog poop can to be flushed down the toilet and degrades naturally, just as our own poop. Stop destroying our earth and start educating the public, one poop at a time. Be a responsible owner and go green for our pets.

Evenregular non-flushable biodegradable dog waste bags are not designed for all landfills. Most of the landfills are not supposed to biodegrade trash.

They aretoo tightly packed for biodegradation to happen there. Without oxygen(when biodegradable bags are either deep inside the landfills or inside another trash bag), these biodegradable bags will not biodegrade and would still overcrowd our landfills and pollute our earth.

To make things worse for the earth, we, as dog owners, put dog poop inside plastic bags not biodegradable. These plastic bags will stay for hundreds of years and kill our planet.

If you are heading outdoors, you will be exposed to the sun. Sunscreenwith UVA/UVB sun protectionis a must if you want to avoid the risk of cancer and other health problems. Try our biodegradable sunscreen.

All Terrain sun protection products are designed to protect your skin naturally and are biodegradable. Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages get the broadest UVA/UVB protection with TerraSport, AquaSport, KidSport, WinterSport and WeatherShield because they contain Z-Cote.

The Industrial Agricultural Products Center (IAPC) at the University of Nebraska has created a family of starch-based resins that can be engineered to create a programmable-life product to meet precise performance requirements. The IAPC uses the tools of polymer chemistry, the properties of starch, and reactive extrusion processing to create these resins with unique characteristics. Made from renewable resources and other environmentally friendly additives, the resin's properties allow for responsible disposal of products through hydrolytic, biodegradable action, or clean incineration, with a positive life cycle impact. Unlike other environmentally friendly resins, this product is made using conventional materials, allowing it to compete in numerous markets such as.

Mirel is a family of plant-based, biodegradable plastics. It's being made into such items as razor handles, cups and packaging for cosmetics.

Research by NatureWorks, a subsidiary of agribusiness giant Cargill and Teijin of Japan, indicates a future market demand of up to 50 billion pounds of bioplastics a year within two to five years. That would represent about a 10% share of the global plastics market. Among the first companies to turn to biodegradable plastic in a big way is Naturally Iowa, an organic dairy that makes milk and water bottles out of pellets from NatureWorks, says William Horner, Naturally Iowa's CEO. "This is one of the greatest hidden sources of replacing petroleum that we've got," Horner says. "The cost of the bottles is 5% to 10% higher than regular plastic bottles, but it's worth it both environmentally and economically in the long run," he says. "When you compare the cost for disposal of plastic to the cost of disposal of a compostable bottle, all of a sudden the cost levels out." Although the plastic is biodegradable, disposing of it is not necessarily as simple as throwing your bioplastic bottles onto your backyard compost heap, says Betty McLaughlin, executive director of the non-profit Container Recycling Institute. The basic ingredient of corn-based plastics is polylactide, or PLA. Most PLA has to go to a commercial composting plant to be decomposed, she says. Although PLA can be recycled for use in other products, it can't be recycled along with regular petroleum-based plastics. "It sounds great," McLaughlin says. "It's renewable, biodegradable and all that kind of stuff. But the practical matter is that you still have to grow the corn to extract the sugar from. And how many pesticides do you need to put into the soil to grow the corn?" It's an open question, she says, whether it's more energy efficient to use biodegradable plastic or to recycle petroleum-based plastic. Researchers are finding ways to address some of those problems, though. Cambridge, Mass.-based Metabolix has developed a brand of biodegradable plastic called Mirel that decomposes in soil, compost or even water, says Brian Igoe, chief brand officer. It's made from genetically engineered microbes that convert corn sugar into polymers in a fermentation process. Metabolix has engineered a switch-grass crop that actually grows plastic inside its leaves and stems, but that product is still a few years away, Igoe says. Mirel costs about twice as much as petroleum-based plastic, so the company markets it for such uses as packaging for natural cosmetics, or agricultural mulch film that can be tilled into the soil to eliminate waste and cut costs, Igoe says. The company has a joint venture with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) called Telles, which is building a plant in Iowa that will go into operation next year with the capacity to produce 110 million pounds of Mirel annually, he says. Researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina have come up with solutions to some of the main technical drawbacks of bioplastics. For example, molecules such as water can slip through corn-based plastic, which means that the water would evaporate out of such a bottle over time, says Danny Roberts, one of the Clemson scientists who developed a new, stronger type of bioplastic bottle that hit stores recently. The type of plastic used in the EarthBottles that he and co-inventor David Gangemi developed is also more resistant to heat, which deforms bottles made of 100% corn, he says. They added some natural ingredients to the mix that retain the biodegradable properties while eliminating the drawbacks, Roberts says. The result is a material that has the potential for use in automotive parts, fabrics and biomedical parts, among other things, he says. And it's all non-toxic. "Everything is all food-grade material," he says. "You could grind it up and eat it. It might constipate you, but it wouldn't kill you." The first company to use EarthBottles is Brevard, N. C.-based Gaia Herbs, a liquid herbal grower and manufacturer that helped finance the Clemson project, Roberts says. "The original impetus for us was to find a way to save on the cost of freight and the risk of breakage associated with pharmaceutical glass," says Greg Cumberford, vice president of strategic initiatives for the company. Being a certified organic company, Gaia didn't want to risk any traces of petroleum chemistry mixing with its products by using ordinary plastic bottles, Cumberford says. EarthBottles also contain natural antioxidants that help protect the product inside, he says. "The reaction has been overwhelming," says Angela Guerrant, vice president of sales for Gaia who showed the bottles at a trade expo in Boston recently. "They're shocked that this hasn't been done already." Barnett is a reporter for The Greenville (S. C.) News.

Description. Recently updated with 8 Interactive Tables and 1 Digitized Graph this book is a complete guide to the subject of biodegradable polymers and is ideal for those new to the subject or those wanting to supplement their existing knowledge.

6. General Characteristics, Processability, Industrial Applications and Market Evolution of Biodegradable Polymers

14. Biodegradable Polymers and the Optimization of Models for Source Separation and Composting of Municipal Solid Waste

Researchers present new lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors that are based on carbon nanotubes and paper. Flexible and biodegradable, the batteries are also simple in construction.

BioBag is the worlds largest brand of 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable bags and films made from the material, Mater-Bi. All of our products contain GMO free starch, biodegradable polymer and other renewable resources. No polyethylene is used in the production process. BioBag products meet ASTM D6400 specifications and California SB 1749 requirements. We will never compromise our earth or our standards. We invite you to review the numerous certifications we have been awarded and the quality of the Mater-Bi product. We thank you for visiting our website. Together we can begin

Over the last 30 years the nonwovens industry fibre usage has not only grown by a factor of ten. The fibres used have changed from almost exclusively biodegradable to almost exclusively non biodegradable despite concern for the environment among consumers becoming progressively stronger. In fact in the largest and most potentially environmentally sensitive market, coverstock for disposable diapers, biodegradable products are non-existent. An expressed consumer preference for environmentally friendly products, in the disposables area at least, appears to remain an unmet need.

The reducing cost of synthetic fibres coupled with their easy conversion into binder-free spunlaid and dry-laid thermally bonded fabrics has caused a steady decline in cellulosic nonwoven market share in all sectors. Viscose rayon now appears relegated to little more than a premium priced niche in a global fibre market largely reliant on cheap fossil fuels for it's raw materials. Even cotton, for centuries the most important of fibres, is now taking second place to synthetics. In disposables even wood-pulp is losing share to synthetic superabsorbents. Is further decline in use of cellulosics in disposables inevitable, or is there a possibility the recent interest in crop-based polyester fibres will enhance the prospects for all crop-based materials? Will the prospect of low-cost biodegradable thermoplastics make biodegradability an easier concept to market, and if it does, will interest in the cellulosics, made directly from the most abundant natural polymer in crops, increase?

This paper reviews the current position of biodegradable materials in the nonwovens market. Coverstock technology is used as a focal point throughout because this technology can provide backsheet and acquisition layer as well as topsheet. If a biodegradable coverstock with acceptable price and performance is achievable, a fully biodegradable diaper becomes technically and economically possible. The undoubted opportunities for truly biodegradable materials in a multitude of niche products is deliberately ignored.

Graph 1 illustrates how fibres based on fossil fuels have replaced fibres based on biodegradable natural polymers over the last century according to the CIRFS statistics on World fibre usage in all markets.

Roughly half of the 45 million tonnes of fibre consumed annually in the world are now made from synthetic polymers. While the tonnage of man-made cellulosics sold into European nonwovens has held remarkably constant for 30 or more years, viscose rayon has participated hardly at all in the massive growth of the industry and its market share is now a tenth of the 1970 figure. Viscose rayon staple fibres were, in 1966, the cheapest man-made fibre. Now they are around twice the price of the main synthetics without the ability to be easily spun-laid or thermally bonded. At a time when the premium obtainable for biodegradability is almost non-existent, they are currently out of contention as a source of economic biodegradable coverstock. We therefore need to examine the potential of new routes to biodegradable nonwovens and will do this in two parts. We will start by reviewing recent developments in biodegradable synthetic fibres and then return to look at new routes to cellulosic nonwovens that may be capable of yielding major cost savings.

Biodegradation of fibres occurs when their constituent polymers are depolymerised, usually by the action of enzymes secreted by microorganisms. These enzymes act by hydrolysing or oxidising the polymer, and can work on the ends of the chains (exo-enzymes) or randomly along their length (endo-enzymes). To do its work, the enzyme has to be able to bond to the fibre and gain access to sites capable of being oxidised or hydrolysed. The most biodegradable fibres therefore tend to be hydrophilic, and made up of short, flexible chains with low levels of crystallisation. They will often have chain backbones with oxygen or nitrogen links and/or pendant groups containing oxygen or nitrogen atoms. This description clearly fits most natural fibres and fibres made of natural polymers. Biodegradation-resistant polymers have the opposite characteristics and unsurprisingly are used to make the stronger more durable fibres. Oxygen-free polymers such as polypropylene and polyethylene resist biodegradation totally. Polyester (i. e. the aromatic polyethylene terephthalate), despite its oxygen content is degradation resistant probably because it has rigid, rod-like chains. The same is true for polyamides despite their nitrogen content. Unlike the aromatics, aliphatic polyesters are generally biodegradable. More than a hundred species of bacteria are known to synthesise and store aliphatic polyesters for future use as an energy source. While being naturally biodegradable, these polyesters are also thermoplastic and capable of being extracted and formed into films and fibres like any other polyester. Man-made biodegradable aliphatic polyesters are however still based mainly on the industrial polymerisation of monomers such as glycolic acid (PGA), lactic acid (PLA), butyric acid (PHB), valeric acid (PHV) and caprolactone (PCL). These (Fig. 1) and their copolymers have already found application in implants, absorbable sutures, controlled release packaging and degradable films and mouldings 1.

Thanks to massive investment announced this year by Cargill Dow LLC, the PLA variety currently look most likely to meet our requirement for a low cost biodegradable coverstock.

Polylactic acid was first made in 1932 by Carothers, who developed a process involving the direct condensation polymerisation of lactic acid in solvents under high vacuum. He abandoned the polymer as too low in melting point for fibres and textiles and went on to develop nylon. More recently PLA was developed as an alternative binder for cellulosic nonwovens because of its easy hydrolytic degradability compared with polyvinyl acetate or ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers . Spunlaid and meltblown nonwovens based on PLA were researched at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 1993 (3). Kanebo (Japan) introduced Lactron (poly L-Lactide) fibre and spun-laid nonwovens in 1994 claiming a capacity of 2000 tpa being expanded to 3000 tpa. It targeted agricultural applications to start with, and in 1998 was re-launched for apparel end-uses. At that time, Japanese demand for PLA fibres was said to be us. tpa. In order to improve the biodegradability and reduce the costs of the nonwovens, blends with rayon were also developed. Fiberweb (France) disclosed nonwoven webs and laminates made of 100% PLA in 1997 (4) and introduced a range of melt-blown and spunlaid PLA fabrics under the Deposa brandname (5). The polymer was developed by Neste Oy. Galactic Laboratories (Belgium) provided an excellent overview of polylactic acid polymers (6), concluding that 390,000 tonnes of the polymer would be produced by 2008 at prices around $2/kg. Their estimate of 70,000 tonnes for 2002 looks about right with the new Cargill-Dow plant due to start during that year. It remains to be seen if the price will be right also. Cargill Dow Polymers LLC, now the leader in polylactic acid technology is a 50/50 JV between Cargill and Dow formed in November 1997. They currently have 4000 tpa capacity for the polymer EcoPLA, and plan to double it this year to meet immediate market development needs. In January this year they also announced the construction of a 140,000 tpa plant to make NatureWorks PLA,a family of polymers derived entirely from annually renewable resources with the cost performance necessary to compete with traditional fibres and packaging materials (7). The plant is due to start up in 2002 and several fibre companies are already producing fibres from the new polymer. (Fibre Innovation Technologies, Parkdale, Unifi, Interface, Woolmark, Unitika, Kanebo and Kuraray are mentioned as Development Allies). Their process (8) involves extracting sugars (mainly dextrose, but also glucose and saccharose) from cornstarch, sugar beet or wheat starch and then fermenting it to lactic acid. Refined sugars are preferred to the cheaper molasses or whey because purification after fermentation is more expensive. The lactic acid is converted into the dimer or lactide which is purified and polymerised (ring opening method) to polylactic acid without the need for solvents (Fig. 2). The family of polymers arises in part from the stereochemistry of lactic acid and its dimer. As fermented, lactic acid is 99.5% L-isomer and 0.5% D-isomer.

Nonwoven applications were listed. fibrefill, crop covers, geotextiles, wipes, hygiene, medical, diapers and binder fibres. Clearly PLA can be manufactured with a range of properties, if only because the lactic acid, being chiral and with two asymmetry centres exists in four different forms. It also appears to have the properties required to meet our biodegradable diaper requirements, being easily converted into film, fibre, spunbond and meltblown products on existing extrusion equipment. However the new 140,000 tonne polymer plant is said to be costing $300 million so whether or not the polymer can be produced down to a price that would guarantee success, i. e. 50 c/lb (similar to PP and PET resin prices) remains to be seen. Several other producers are active. At Index 99, NKK (Japan) showed a PLA spunbond nonwoven at 15 gsm with apparently excellent formation and properties. Kuraray (Japan) showed PLA fibres and provided some data on their properties and biodegradation rates. PLA polymer is made in Japan by Mitsui Toatsu (under the Lacea brandname. unlike CDP, MT process polymerises the lactic acid direct from the monomer), Toyobo, Dai-Nippon Ink Chemicals, Showa Polymers and Shimadzu Corp.

Monsanto's BIOPOL (originally developed by ICI-Zeneca (9), who planned a 10,000 tpa plant in 1987) was based on a random copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate made by bacterial fermentation. It was sold for around $15/kg for speciality products and was expected to appear in fibre form at a much lower price. At Index 99 Monsanto was said to have stopped the project in Jan 1999. However their press release in October 99 notes (10) that direct production of PHBV and other poly(hydroxyalkanoates) in plants, the latter said to be viable alternatives to expensive fermentation processes. Polycaprolactone has been used in blend with other plastics to make biodegradable films since the late 1970's. Unitika and Nippon Unicar developed a hydroentangled nonwoven based on 80% cellulose and 20% PCL fibres (11). Freudenberg (Germany) developed biodegradable spunbonds based on 50% PCL and 50% conventional fibre forming polymer for scrub-suits, incontinence products and bandage holders (12). Bayer's BAK, a polyester amide polymer is based on hexamethylene diamine, butane diol and adipic acid. Butane diol is also the basis for Bionolle, Showa Polymer's biodegradable synthetic. Eastman's Eastar Bio is a copolyester based on terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Dupont's Biomax is said to be based on 3 proprietary aliphatic polyesters and costs only slightly more than conventional PET. Procter and Gamble described (13) a process using the Biopol-type polymer (or other biodegradable synthetic) either melted or dissolved in solvent and then blown or flash-spun into a microfibre nonwoven, either alone or in blend with a variety of natural fibres. A continuation patent published this year (14) relates to a biodegradable poly(hydroxyalkanoate) for both diaper topsheet and backsheet.

All evidence to date suggests that biodegradation will only become a major marketing issue if it can be delivered in a diaper without sacrificing any of the attributes of the current leading brands. Biodegradable nonwovens usable as coverstocks already exist in many forms, one of the best being hydroentangled rayon, but none are available at a price to compete with thermal bonded spun-laid or dry-laid polypropylene. Furthermore to perform as well as PP in wet-back testing the HE rayon would need an additional finishing process. If we consider the cost of cellulosic nonwoven at the converter, the greatest savings can in theory be achieved by moving from dry-laying staple fibres to a suitably sized spun-laying operation in a fibre plant, ideally on the site of a pulp mill. Much work has already been done in this field, most of it before environmental issues such as biodegradation and renewable resources had reached the public consciousness.

The surviving processes, Asahi's Bemliese and Futamura's TCF, both make coverstock weights but on a relatively small scale and at premium prices. In fact there's nothing here to persuade today's diaper manufacturers that these cellulose based spun-laid processes could be a viable contender for a biodegradable coverstock. Maybe the sort of visionary thinking now evident in the Super-Site concept (pre-forming diaper cores by air-laying them on 100,000 tpa machines based at a pulp production site (15) could dramatically reduce the costs of a viscose-based spun-laid fabric? The viscose process is however being superseded by other more environmentally benign routes to cellulosic fibres and it is these processes that we should now turn to. Of the numerous other routes to cellulosic fibres researched in the last 3 decades, within the context of this paper, four are worth mentioning. All have been developed primarily to make fibres for conventional textiles and may well have evolved differently had a market the size of coverstock been an attractive development target. All appear to be more amenable to integration with pulp production than the viscose route.

Fibres became progressively more biodegradable and insoluble in alkali as the nitrogen content was reduced (and the cellulose regenerated).

Employing the cyclic amine n-methyl morpholine n-oxide to dissolve cellulose prior to spinning the dope into water, the Lyocell process has been fully developed and scaled up for textile applications by Enka and Courtaulds (now together in Acordis) over the last 20 years. It offers an environmentally acceptable way of converting natural cellulose into a fully biodegradable premium quality rayon fibre with tensile properties approaching those of polyester. Furthermore the technology offers the potential for converting pulp to fibre on a scale and at a cost that would give polyester and cotton some serious competition. The high capital requirement of the first plant necessitated launching the fibre (in 1990) at a premium price into the fashion-apparel market. This proved highly successful and led to rapid expansion up to the current capacity of around 100,000 tonnes. However this represents only about one half of one percent of the current cellulosic fibres market, and Lyocell fibre is still only available commercially from two sources, Acordis and Lenzing (Alceru (Schwarza), FCFC (Taiwan), Hanil Synthetic Fibre Co. (Korea), and the Birla Group (India) are all working with Lyocell pilot plants). Only Lenzing appear to have had even the theoretical capability of integrating lyocell with pulp production, and have chosen not to. Lyocell makes excellent nonwovens, especially in those processes that allow it's superior aesthetics to shine through, like needle-punching and hydroentanglement. Its high strength is of little intrinsic value in disposables, but it enables the nonwoven producer to reduce basis weight while meeting strength targets. It's freedom from shrinkage and high wet stability allows higher area yields in HE processes, and its high modulus prevents it from collapsing in the wet to the same extent as viscose rayon. Fibrillation, the development of surface microfibres on wet abrasion or in high-pressure entanglement, adds an additional dimension for the nonwoven developer. Unfortunately, while it has established itself in several profitable niches, its premium positioning has so far prevented it's use in mainstream disposables. The nonwoven industry enjoys the economies of polypropylene because PP is a by-product of the energy industry. Viscose rayon requires dissolving pulp, a premium product of the timber industry. Lyocell is currently similar, but its simple production process has the so far unexplored potential to use cheaper pulps and hence the potential to achieve the economies of scale that may ultimately interest the major diaper producers. The key development of making lyocell from cheaper pulps and spunlaying it is described in a recent Weyerhauser patent (18). Here a high-hemi, low lignin kraft pulp is dissolved in NMMO and either spunlaid, melt-blown or centrifugally spun into nonwovens.

A big spunlaid nonwoven line using dope from this fibre plant could make a wide range of biodegradable nonwovens including coverstock, backsheet and acquisition layer.

It has been known for many years that wood-pulp partly dissolves in very cold dilute caustic soda, and there have been several attempts to improve such solutions to the point where textile fibres could be spun from the dope. Kamide et al working in Asahi's Fundamental (Fibre) Research Laboratory described fibres spun from soda solutions of cellulose (19). Here the key step was steam-explosion of the woodpulp to improve the accessability of the cellulose chains prior to contact with the sodium hydroxide. Struszczyk et al (20) used cellulase enzymes to modify the structure of cellulose to allow it to dissolve in soda. While these soda routes make fibres with properties inferior to viscose rayon, they are more than adequately strong for spun-laying or melt blowing. Once again this 'old' technology coupled with Super Site thinking could become the basis of a low-cost biodegradable nonwoven process.

Biodegradable thermoplastic fibres made from PLA have the potential to bring the production and marketing of biodegradable disposables one step nearer reality. Fibres of this sort appear spinnable on conventional melt spinning equipment into coverstocks that will work in conventional disposable diaper manufacturing plants. The ability to vary the properties of the PLA by careful selection of the blend of isomers and the polymerisation route appears to make it possible to vary the fibre properties from amorphous to crystalline thereby creating a range of melting points, biodegradation rates, fibre strengths, and even bicomponency. Clearly the fibres can be used in a wide variety of applications and it will be interesting to see how the producers prioritise these applications. When sums of the order of $300m are spent on a polymer at the start of it's learning curve the economic pressure to develop the higher value applications first is enormous. In the case of PLA however the melting points appear to be similar to polypropylene rather than polyester, and its ability to replace polyester in conventional textiles could be similarly restricted. In nonwovens, compared with the cellulosics, it has the key advantages of simple conversion into fibre and spunlaid nonwovens coupled with the resilience and bulk necessary for good surface dryness in coverstock. It appears to have the potential to beat current cellulosic nonwovens on price but we need to await actual prices of the product due to emerge from the 140,000 tonne plant in 2002 before we can be sure. As for future cellulosic nonwovens, this year's announcements of PLA expansion reduces the already minimal likelihood of any investment in their really large scale manufacture either by the current technologies or by the visible future technologies linked to Super Site thinking.

The English translation from this site lends itself to various interpretations, so maybe we’ve grabbed the bull by the wrong horns. But it would seem that the bikini shown here is made from a new line of 100% biodegradable biopolymers (source not mentioned, although they are food grade certified, apparently, for what it's worth). But these are a tad different from the rest, in that the resulting textiles are non-woven, being films, nets and tulles, and as such can use patented thermoforming and thermowelding techniques, in lieu of old fashioned sewing. The pictured swimsuit is said to dry instantly you step from the water. Not need then for an organic cotton beach towel (should such things even exist.) Evening wear and wedding gown also possible. More, in Italian, at..Mina Boutique

Hmmm. ".made from a new line of 100% biodegradable biopolymers (source not mentioned, although they are food grade certified)." ".the resulting textiles are non-woven, being films, nets and tulles." Eureka. I've discovered their secret! The darned things are made from fruit roll-ups!!! Well, if they biodegrade, what the heck. I'm all for saving the planet any way we can.

Beneath a slimy façade, the sea slug is somewhat of a brainiac. CHICAGO--A biodegradable plastic that dissolves into nontoxic components in seawater could make it environmentally safe to ditch disposable forks, spoons, wraps and other such waste overboard from ships to free up valuable space. There are many groups working on biodegradable plastics, but we're one of a few working on plastics that degrade in seawater, said researcher Robson Storey, a polymer scientist at University of Southern Mississippi. We're moving toward making plastics more sustainable, especially those that are used at sea. Cruise liners, naval warships and other vessels generate huge volumes of plastic trash, such as stretch wrap for large cargo items, food containers and eating utensils. This junk often remains onboard for long spans of time until ships make port. Simply dumping such junk overboard is hazardous because conventional plastics can take years to break down and may result in toxic byproducts. When exposed to seawater, the new plastics can dissolve in as few as 20 days. They are made of polyurethane modified to incorporate a biodegradable compound known as PLGA, which is used in medical sutures. By varying the chemical makeup of the plastic, the scientists have developed materials that range from soft and rubbery to hard and rigid, making them potentially useful for a variety of applications. After they dissolve, our goal is for them to break down into carbon dioxide and water, Storey told

So at year 1.5 can you break off a piece and smoke it? Come on! Just use oil free biodegradable plastic. They already make utensils out of it.

Welcome to the premier industrial resource for Biodegradable Products, All manufacturers are recommended by B2BManufactures. com.

Dear EarthTalk. Is it true that nothing really biodegrades in a landfill? Laura, via e-mail Organic substances biodegrade when they are broken down by other living organisms (such as enzymes and microbes) into their constituent parts, and in turn recycled by nature as the building blocks for new life. The process can occur aerobically (with the aid of oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). Substances break down much faster under aerobic conditions, as oxygen helps break the molecules apart. Landfills Too Tightly Packed for Most Trash to Biodegrade Most landfills are fundamentally anaerobic because they are compacted so tightly, and thus do not let much air in. As such, any biodegradation that does take place does so very slowly. Typically in landfills, theres not much dirt, very little oxygen, and few if any microorganisms, says green consumer advocate and author Debra Lynn Dadd. She cites a landfill study conducted by University of Arizona researchers that uncovered still-recognizable 25-year-old hot dogs, corncobs and grapes in landfills, as well as 50-year-old newspapers that were still readable. Processing May Inhibit Biodegradation Biodegradable items also may not break down in landfills if the industrial processing they went through prior to their useful days converted them into forms unrecognizable by the microbes and enzymes that facilitate biodegradation. A typical example is petroleum, which biodegrades easily and quickly in its original form. crude oil. But when petroleum is processed into plastic, it is no longer biodegradable, and as such can clog up landfills indefinitely. Some manufacturers make claims that their products are photodegradable, which means that they will biodegrade when exposed to sunlight. A popular example is the plastic polybag in which many magazines now arrive protected in the mail. But the likelihood that such items will be exposed to sunlight while buried dozens of feet deep in a landfill is little to none. And if they do biodegrade at all, it is only likely to be into smaller pieces of plastic. Landfill Design and Technology May Enhance Biodegradation Some landfills are now being designed to promote biodegradation through the injection of water, oxygen, and even microbes. But these kinds of facilities are costly to create and, as a result, have not caught on. Another recent development involves landfills that have separate sections for compostable materials, such as food scraps and yard waste. Some analysts believe that as much as 65 percent of the waste currently sent to landfills in North America consists of such biomass that biodegrades rapidly and could generate a new income stream for landfills. marketable soil. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is Best Solution for Landfills But getting people to sort their trash accordingly is another matter entirely. Indeed, paying heed to the importance of the environmental movements Three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!) is likely the best approach to solving the problems caused by our ever-growing piles of trash. With landfills around the world reaching capacity, technological fixes are not likely to make our waste disposal problems go away. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to. EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P. O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881. submit it at. www. emagazine. com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail. us . EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

SYDNEY, Australia -- In the 1960s film The Graduate, a meddling family friend takes aimless collegiate Ben aside to proffer unwanted career advice. "plastics." More than 30 years later, the planet is choking on the stuff -- plastic packaging in particular. With green consciousness now taking root from Boston to Bangalore, the new hot career tip might be. "biodegradable plastics."

The business involves using non petroleum-based commercial wrappings that look, feel and act like traditional plastic, but break down later into organic components. One example is starch-based packaging, generally made from agricultural commodities such as corn or potatoes. These dissolve in prolonged contact with water and heat. However, if you're hoping you can toss your disposable plastics into the shower and watch them disappear any time soon, you'll be disappointed. Most biodegradable packaging takes weeks, often months, to break down. Furthermore, eco-friendly packaging probably needs a few more years, and a few more breakthroughs, before it's ready for prime time. Nonetheless, early birds are staking out positions. Earthshell of Santa Barbara, California, now provides biodegradable packaging to fast-food giant McDonald's, as well as selling biodegradable picnic utensils. These are all made from a proprietary mixture of limestone and potato starch. Others players -- which include Minneapolis-based Cargill Dow LLC. Novamont SpA of Novara, Italy. and the German BASF Group -- provide biodegradable packaging that is based largely on corn starch. These companies and others are being drawn to a global market now estimated at about $25 billion a year. A key testing ground for biodegradable packaging was the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics. Thanks to pre-Games pressure from environmental groups, food vendors for the Games used only biodegradable and recyclable packaging. More than three-quarters of the 660 tons of garbage generated each day at the Games was kept out of landfill, with much of it composted instead. But that was the Olympics, the ultimate controlled environment. The challenge now is for biodegradable plastics to succeed in the chaotic real world, closing a roughly 2-to-1 price gap with traditional packaging. The good news is that consumers and most businesses are keen on greenery. The bad news is they don't want to pay anything more for it. Without government mandates, this price differential is likely to hinder the spread of biodegradable packaging in the short-term. "I figure it will be at least five years before fully biodegradable packaging becomes really widespread," says Leo Hyde, research and development manager for DuPont Australia. "Without legislation to help it along, this packaging will just have to be price competitive." DuPont's entry in the race is a water-soluble form of the more traditional recyclable material polyethylene terephthalate. Meanwhile, Melbourne's Plantic Technologies is commercializing a form of corn starch-based biodegradable plastic packaging, which it claims will break down into carbon dioxide and sugar in as little as an hour after contact with water, says David MacInnes, Plantic's managing director and chief executive. If the company can deliver, it really would pass the "shower" test. But it's too soon to know, and the company has no firm contracts.

Welcome to the biodegradable tag page at Technorati. This page features content from the farthest reaches of the Blogosphere that authors have "tagged" with biodegradable. Are you an expert about biodegradable? Do you want to be the Technorati authority on biodegradable? You can write a description that will appear right here. Join Blogcritics today!

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In a sudden change of heart, the government may waive the eco tax on biodegradable plastic bags, amid increasing calls that they are the most environmentally friendly alternative. This stand clearly contradicts what the government has been arguing since November, when it said it had wanted a blanket tax because enforcement is a headache. The aim of the tax is to eliminate, or reduce the 40 million plastic bags used by the Maltese every year. The eco tax meant to be introduced on March 1 would impose a hefty 0.15 on each bag. However, a producer of biodegradable plastic bags has come forward saying he would supply the local market with his product if the eco tax was waived. Traplas Ltd director Robert Abela said his company produces biodegradable bags for export, since currently the local market prefers the cheaper conventional bags. The production of biodegradable bags is regulated by strict European laws. When contacted, Resources Ministry permanent secretary Chris Ciantar said. The government will not rule out making changes to the current proposal, if it is convinced there are more environment friendly alternatives that guarantee a reduction in the consumption of bags. It is positive to note that less than 48 hours after announcing the decision, the private sector (Traplas) is already considering putting biodegradable bags on the market. An exercise carried out by The Sunday Times among a number of shops, revealed that a total of 160,000 degradable plastic bags were in stock, on which the current eco tax of 0.01 had been already paid. The retailers argued that the new law will force them to dispose of the plastic bags they ordered before the Budget speech was read out. Whoever produces or imports plastic carrier bags will have to print a series of details under the Eco Contribution Act and the font size cannot be smaller than two centimetres. Since the degradable plastic bags currently on the market do not conform to the new tax regime, they cannot be used. When confronted with these figures, the ministry said it will be looking into the matter on a case-by-case basis and would decide appropriately. One retailer argued that if the government wanted to make a point on an environmental issue, it should have encouraged consumers to use nothing but biodegradable bags, rather than encouraging paper bags by taxing plastic bags. Philip Camilleri, who owns Centro Moda in Mosta, said he had a stock of more than 15,000 plastic bags. He said the government had rushed to introduce the new tax without proper consultation. Edwin Mizzi, who owns Moods in Valletta, and Joe Desira, the managing director of jewellery shop The Maltese Falcon, both said they had 10,000 bags in stock. They had received their consignments in October before the Christmas rush. Nikol Chetcuti, from Mecca Enterprises in St Paul's Bay, said he had a stock of around 25,000 plastic bags. Charles Camilleri, a director of Camilleri Holdings that owns BHS and Mothercare, among others, said his company had a stock of close to 100,000 plastic bags, which they use like hot cakes. He said he did not intend disposing of any of his bags, not even if I'm jailed. Managing director of Inserv Ltd, David Pace Bonello, who supplies degradable bags on the local market, argued that most printed carrier bag orders have a minimum run of 10,000 bags so as to make it feasible for production. He said this could take a retail outlet close to two years to use. Has the government been given the wrong information by the GRTU (Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises) and believes that business is so good that retailers can get rid of their thousands of carrier bags in just one month? Mr Pace Bonello asked. The reason why the eco contribution measure introduced in 2005 failed miserably was simply the lack of enforcement, he said. us

To recall the saga of the glass bottles yes, plastic bottles no and then plastic bottles yes and glass bottles no is to point out confusion that reigns in the government following Malta’s European Union Membership. Let’s hope the E. U. followed by the government does not issue orders regarding toilet paper. Together with E. U. everything is possible. Plastic bags create heaps while bottles create mountains of plastic that are not biodegradable.

The world's first biodegradable pen made from corn! Corn? Yes, corn! Except for the ink refill, this green pen is made from Mater-Bi, a revolutionary new material derived from cornstarch. Mater-Bi is remarkably similar in look and feel to ordinary plastic with one important exception. it is completely biodegradable! This means that unlike conventional plastics that never breakdown, this green pen will disintegrate in about 12 months after being discarded (breakdown occurs in soil, composters, landfills, etc.). Available with blue ink, this green pen is light and comfortable for writing.

If your company wants to go green and reduce its carbon footprint, cut down on waste with biodegradable knives, spoons and forks. Every year more than 400,000 pounds of plastic forks, spoons and knives find their way to landfills across the United States. Switching your companys plasticware to biodegradable alternatives reduces the amount of waste you create and the amount of plastic in landfills. Bear in mind the biodegradable knives temperature and decomposition time when selecting the best product for you. Potato-based knives are resistant to medium to high heat, but they require the longest time to decompose. Corn-based or wheat-based knives can handle more heat than potato-based knives and decompose in a shorter amount of time. Vegetable starch knives withstand the most heat and decompose quickly.1. Buy potato-based biodegradable knives.2. Find corn-based or wheat-based biodegradable knives.3. Purchase vegetable starch-based biodegradable knives.

Find biodegradable knives made from potatoes Potato-based biodegradable knives can withstand heats up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. These biodegradable knives completely decompose within 200 days.

Visit the Eco-Wise website to find biodegradable knives and other environmentally-friendly utensils. Green Home is a leading biodegradable knives provider and allows customers to buy the knives in cases of 1,000. Vegware carries potato-based cutlery by the case in multi-packs for resale and in single packs that include a spoon, fork and napkin. Purchase biodegradable knives made from corn or wheat Corn-based or wheat-based knives are made to withstand heat up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Biodegradable knives made of wheat or corn decompose in 100 days when in a compost pile.

Earthware Biodegradables sells corn-based biodegradable knives wholesale to many food service and retail companies. Search the biodegradable knives list at Wheatware. com to find compostable knives made from wheat or corn. Read biodegradable knives information and find biodegradable knives at CoffeeGIANT. com. Locate a biodegradable knives provider that specializes in vegetable starch-based products Biodegradable cutlery made from vegetable starches holds up in heat between 150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the thickness of the product. These biodegradable knives completely decompose in within 100 days.

Browse the biodegradable knives directory of products at BioSmart to find biodegradable knives. Branch is a biodegradable knives provider and manufacturer. The Green Supply Company provides customers with biodegradable knives in packages of 500 and 1,000.

If your company wants to go green and reduce its carbon footprint, cut down on waste with biodegradable knives, spoons and forks. Every year more than 400,000 pounds of plastic forks, spoons and knives find their way to landfills across the United States. Switching your companys plasticware to biodegradable alternatives reduces the amount of waste you create and the amount of plastic in landfills. Bear in mind the.

Three generations of starch-based plastics are recognized. The first generation consists of a synthetic polymer. Starch is only used as a filling material it’s polymeric properties are not made use of. An example are "biodegradable" plastic bags. These bags are not fully biodegradable, though, since they consist of mainly non-biodegradable synthetic polymers like polyethylene or polypropene and only 5-20 percent starch. Under special conditions the starch degrades and the plastic falls apart into small particles, that will prevail for many years although they are not visible. In the second generation the starch is used for its polymeric properties. It is blended with hydrophilic synthetic polymers and contributes to the strength of the material. 50-80% starch can be used in these plastics, but still a large part is not biodegradable. The third generation is a truly biodegradable plastic, that does not contain synthetic polymers at all. To improve some of the properties of the plastic, the biopolymer may be modified, but no synthetic materials are necessary.[42] The barrier properties that are required for a film depend on it’s use. Fresh fruits or vegetables have to be able to breath, so a film with too low an oxygen and/or carbon dioxide permeability can not be used. Foods which are rich in polyunsaturated fat, however, are sensitive to oxygen and need a film with a high oxygen barrier. Often the barrier against water is the most important function of a film, since aw is an important factor for the shelf life of a product (microbial growth, chemical reactions, crispiness).[33]

Foods coated with a film that is highly impermeable to fat will absorb less fat when fried.[33] Edible coatings can also protect the outside structure of a food during mechanical handling, for example extruded or frozen foods.[33] Biodegradable plastics can made by micro-organisms or by man. The latter can be from natural products (e. g. starch or proteins) or synthetic polymers. Some commercial biodegradable plastics are presented in table 1. In table 2 some properties are given of a number of biodegradable plastics.

Composting Plastics Biodegradable Packaging for Food Industry Biodegradabale Plastics - The Concept and Options Small units, greater hazard Wheat-Mix Bags Could Revolutionize Australia Farms

Inspired by nature, Cornell chemist finds way to - make biodegradable plastic that imitates bacteria

Bio plastics are biodegradable plastics, whose components are derived from renewable raw materials. These plastics can be made from abundant agricultural/animal resources like cellulose, starch, collagen, casein, soy protein polyesters and triglycerides. Large scale use of these would help in preserving non-renewable resources like petroleum, natural gas and coal and contribute little to the problems of waste management. Biodegradable Plastics degrade over a period of time when exposed to sun and air. Though the demand for biodegradable Plastics is increasing, acceptance of biodegradable polymers is likely to depend on factors like 1) Customer response to costs. 2) Possible legislation by Governments 3) The achievement of total biodegradability Immediate application areas identified in India for biodegradable plastics are Agricultural Mulch, Surgical implants, Industrial Packaging, Wrapping, Milk Sachets, Foodservice, Personal care, Pharmaceuticals, Medical devices, recreational etc. Biodegradable Plastics highlights the Indian efforts in the direction, as well as activities at some of the major centers of developmental at USA/Canada, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Japan.

In an effort to overcome these shortcomings, biochemical researchers and engineers have long been seeking to develop biodegradable plastics that are made from renewable resources, such as plants. The term biodegradable means that a substance is able to be broken down into simpler substances by the activities of living organisms, and therefore is unlikely to persist in the environment. There are many different standards used to measure biodegradability, with each country having its own. The requirements range from 90 per cent to 60 per cent decomposition of the product within 60 to 180 days of being placed in a standard composting environment. The reason traditional plastics are not biodegradable is because their long polymer molecules are too large and too tightly bonded together to be broken apart and assimilated by decomposer organisms. However, plastics based on natural plant polymers derived from wheat or corn starch have molecules that are readily attacked and broken down by microbes. Biodegradable plastics made with plant-based materials have been available for many years. Because of their higher cost they have never replaced traditional non-degradable plastics in the mass market. Indeed, biodegradable plastic products currently on the market are from 2 to 10 times more expensive than traditional plastics. But environmentalists argue that the cheaper price of traditional plastics does not reflect their true cost when their full impact is considered. For example, when we buy a plastic bag we don't pay for its collection and waste disposal after we use it. If we add up these associated costs, traditional plastics would cost more and biodegradable plastics might be more competitive.

If cost is a major barrier to the uptake of biodegradable plastics, then the solution lies in investigating low-cost options to produce them. The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Food Manufacture and Packaging Science is looking at ways of using basic starch, which is economical to produce, in a variety of blends with other more expensive biodegradable polymers to produce a variety of flexible and rigid plastics. These are being made into 'film' and 'injection moulded' products such as plastic wrapping, shopping bags, bread bags, mulch films and plant pots.

The CRC has developed a mulch film for farmers. Mulch films are laid over the ground around crops, to control weed growth and retain moisture. Normally, farmers use polyethylene black plastic that is pulled up after harvest and trucked away to a landfill (taking with it topsoil humus that sticks to it). However, field trials using the biodegradable mulch film on tomato and capsicum crops have shown that it performs just as well as polyethylene film but can simply be ploughed into the ground after harvest. It's easier, cheaper and it enriches the soil with carbon.

Another biodegradable plastic product is a plant pot produced by injection moulding. Gardeners and farmers can place potted plants directly into the ground, and forget them. The pots will break down to carbon dioxide and water, eliminating double handling and recycling of conventional plastic containers.

Depending on the application, scientists can alter polymer mixes to enhance the properties of the final product. For example, an almost pure starch product will dissolve upon contact with water and then biodegrade rapidly. By blending quantities of other biodegradable plastics into the starch, scientists can make a waterproof product that degrades within 4 weeks after it has been buried in the soil or composted.

Compost may be the key to maximizing the real environmental benefit of biodegradable plastics. One of the big impediments to composting our organic waste is that it is so mixed up with non-degradable plastic packaging that it is uneconomic to separate them. Consequently, the entire mixed waste-stream ends up in landfill. By ensuring that biodegradable plastics are used to package all our organic produce, it may well be possible in the near future to set up large-scale composting lines in which packaging and the material it contains can be composted as one. The resulting compost could be channeled into plant production, which in turn might be redirected into growing the starch to produce more biodegradable plastics.

For anyone who thinks such schemes aren't feasible, you only have to look at the recycling success of the Olympics to see that where there's a will, there's a way. More than 660 tonnes of waste was generated each day at its many venues. Of this, an impressive 76 per cent was collected and recycled. Part of this success was due to the use of biodegradable plastics used in the packaging of fast food, making the composting of food scraps an economic proposition as it eliminated the need for expensive separation of packaging waste prior to processing. With intelligent use, these new plastics have the potential to reduce plastic litter, decrease the quantities of plastic waste going into landfills and increase the recycling of other organic components that would normally end up in landfills. Next

When it comes time to pick up after your beloved pooch, choose a biodegradable bag instead of regular plastic. Otherwise, you are wrapping one of nature's quickest degrading substances in something that takes decades to break down. The typical dog produces 274 pounds of waste each year, according to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. That's no small pile of poop. For neatness and sanitary reasons, most towns require owners to pick up after their pets, but what to do with it?Unfortunately, if you put Lassie's waste in a plastic bag, it takes up to 100 years to decompose. Flushing it down the toilet is inconvenient, and can potentially cause problems in sewer systems because of its high amount of grit. Instead, use sturdy paper, or the biodegradable offerings from several companies. The corn-based BioBags, for example, are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to break down in a matter of days. They work very well in communities that have aerobic landfills that are churned up. True, biodegradable products don't work near as well in closed, anaerobic landfills, but they certainly won't hurt. Even better is to compost the biodegradable bags, and their contents, at home or in a local community garden. Experts recommend keeping a separate setup for composting animal waste, and never use the resulting soil on anything edible, in case some pathogens survive the process. The best practice is to ensure optimum temperatures and layering, which you can learn about here.

Download Biodegradable Plastics - Developments and Environmental Impacts - PDF (biodegradable. pdf - 698 KB)

Dear EarthTalk. Is it true that nothing really biodegrades in a landfill? Laura, via e-mail Organic substances biodegrade when they are broken down by other living organisms (such as enzymes and microbes) into their constituent parts, and in turn recycled by nature as the building blocks for new life. The process can occur aerobically (with the aid of oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). Substances break down much faster under aerobic conditions, as oxygen helps break the molecules apart. Landfills Too Tightly Packed for Most Trash to Biodegrade Most landfills are fundamentally anaerobic because they are compacted so tightly, and thus do not let much air in. As such, any biodegradation that does take place does so very slowly. Typically in landfills, theres not much dirt, very little oxygen, and few if any microorganisms, says green consumer advocate and author Debra Lynn Dadd. She cites a landfill study conducted by University of Arizona researchers that uncovered still-recognizable 25-year-old hot dogs, corncobs and grapes in landfills, as well as 50-year-old newspapers that were still readable. Processing May Inhibit Biodegradation Biodegradable items also may not break down in landfills if the industrial processing they went through prior to their useful days converted them into forms unrecognizable by the microbes and enzymes that facilitate biodegradation. A typical example is petroleum, which biodegrades easily and quickly in its original form. crude oil. But when petroleum is processed into plastic, it is no longer biodegradable, and as such can clog up landfills indefinitely. Some manufacturers make claims that their products are photodegradable, which means that they will biodegrade when exposed to sunlight. A popular example is the plastic polybag in which many magazines now arrive protected in the mail. But the likelihood that such items will be exposed to sunlight while buried dozens of feet deep in a landfill is little to none. And if they do biodegrade at all, it is only likely to be into smaller pieces of plastic. Landfill Design and Technology May Enhance Biodegradation Some landfills are now being designed to promote biodegradation through the injection of water, oxygen, and even microbes. But these kinds of facilities are costly to create and, as a result, have not caught on. Another recent development involves landfills that have separate sections for compostable materials, such as food scraps and yard waste. Some analysts believe that as much as 65 percent of the waste currently sent to landfills in North America consists of such biomass that biodegrades rapidly and could generate a new income stream for landfills. marketable soil. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is Best Solution for Landfills But getting people to sort their trash accordingly is another matter entirely. Indeed, paying heed to the importance of the environmental movements Three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!) is likely the best approach to solving the problems caused by our ever-growing piles of trash. With landfills around the world reaching capacity, technological fixes are not likely to make our waste disposal problems go away. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to. EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P. O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881. submit it at. www. emagazine. com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail. us . EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

But even if cigarette filters were quick to degrade, we would still have fires caused by lit cigarette butts, and the toxins found in cigarette butts would still be harmful. That is why Clean Virginia Waterways believes the best way to decrease cigarette butt litter is to educate smokers, rather than try to make filters biodegradable.

Biopolymer, Agro-polymer, Agro-resource, Biomaterial, Biodegradable polymer, Biopolyesters (PLA, PCL, PHA.), Starch (Plasticized Starch, Thermoplastic Starch or TPS), Chitosan, Ligno-cellulose fiber, Biocomposite, Nano-(bio)composite, Vegetable oil polymer, Glyceride, Environment, Compostable or biodegradable Packaging, Electrospinning, Tissue Engineering (Scaffold),

Abstract-Proof. - Pogodina N., Cercl C., Avrous L., Thomann R., Bouquey M., Muller R. (2008) Processing and Characterization of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites. Detection of Dispersion State

Vol. 293, N11, pp. us. - Schwach E., Six JL, Avrous L. (2008) Biodegradable blends based on starch and poly(lactic acid). Comparison of different strategies and estimate of compatibilization.

Bordes P., Pollet E., Avrous L. (2009) Nano-biocomposites. Biodegradable polyester/nanoclay systems

Avrous L. (2008) Multilayer Coextrusion of Starch/Biopolyester in Biodegradable Polymer Blends and Composites from Renewable Resources Ed. Long Yu, John Wiley Sons Inc., Chap. 18, pp. us.

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Woodhead Textiles Series No. 47-indispensable new book on this hot topic-discusses the major fibre types, inlcuding bast fibres-looks at biodegradable and sustainable fibres as an effective way of reducing the harm disposed textiles have on the environment-edited by a leading authority in the field with contributions from experts worldwideWith increasing concerns regarding the effect the textile industry is having on the environment, more and more textile researchers, producers and manufacturers are looking to biodegradable and sustainable fibres as an effective way of reducing the impact textiles have on the environment. The emphasis in Biodegradable and sustainable fibres is on textiles that are beneficial by their biodegradation and come from sustainable sources. Biodegradable and sustainable fibres opens with a discussion of microbial processes in fibre degradation. It then moves on to discuss the major fibre types, including bast fibres, alginates, cellulose and speciality biodegradable fibres, such as lyocell, poly(lactic acid) and poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s. The development of synthetic silks is covered along with biodegradable natural fibre composites, nonwovens, and geotextiles. The final chapter looks at the history and future of soya bean protein fibres. Biodegradable and sustainable fibres is a comprehensive monograph providing essential reference for anyone interested in the area and environmental issues relating to textiles including fibre and textile scientists and students, textile technologists, manufacturers, and forensic specialists in industry and academia. ISBN 1 85573 916 XISBN-13. 978 1 85573 916 1November us. pages234 x 156mmhardback150.00 / US$285.00 / 190.00Usually dispatched within 24 hours

Richard Blackburn is a Senior Lecturer in Textile and Colour Chemistry at the University of Leeds. His research interests include thermodynamics and kinetics of application of colorants to synthetic and natural fibre substrates, synthesis and processing of biodegradable and sustainable fibres, chemicals from renewable resources, and life cycle analysis. He is the leader of the Green Chemistry Group in the Centre for Technical Textiles at the University of Leeds and he has contributed numerous papers to internationally leading journals.

IntroductionR S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UKMicrobial processes in the degradation of fibersP M Fedorak, University of Alberta, Canada-Introduction-Background and terminology-Incubation conditions used for studying biodegradation of fibers and films-Sources of microorganisms and enzymes for laboratory incubations-Analytical methods used to assess biodegradation of fibers and films-Examples of types of bonds that are susceptible to enzymatic attack-Future trends-Acknowledgements-ReferencesBast fibres (flax, hemp, jute, ramie, kenaf, abaca)R Kozlowski, P Baraniecki and J Barriga-Bedoya, Institute of Natural Fibres, Poland-Introduction-Flax-Hemp-Jute-Ramie-Kenaf-Abaca-Comparison of fibre properties-ReferencesAlginate fibresP J Brown and J M Muri, Clemson University, USA.-Introduction-The chemical nature of alginate materials-Physical properties of alginate based materials-Industrial applications of alginates-Fabrication of alginates as useful flexible substrates in medical textile based products-Alginates in bioengineering-ReferencesCellulosic fibres and fabric processingD Ciechañska, Institute of Chemical Fibres, Poland and P Nousiainen, Tampere University of Technology, Finland-Introduction-Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-The mechanisms of enzymatic reactions on wood and cellulose-Biodegradability of cellulose fibres in textile blends-Biotechnology for manufacture and modification of cellulosic fibres-Enzyme applications in fabric and dyestuff processing-Hygienic and medical fibres-Future trends of cellulosic fibres-ReferencesLyocell fibresP White, M Hayhurst, J Taylor and A Slater, Tencel Ltd, Derby, UK-Introduction-Process description-Lyocell sustainability-Lyocell fibre properties-Lyocell in textiles-Lyocell – a versatile, high performance fibre for nonwovens-Marketing-The future-Useful references for further informationPolylactic and acid fibresD Farrington, Cargill-Dow, LLC, USA and R S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UK-Introduction-Chemistry and manufacture of PLA polymer resin-PLA fibre properties-Applications-Environmental sustainability-PLA fibres and the future-ReferencesPoly(hydroxyalkanoates) and poly(caprolactane)I Chodák, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia, and R S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UK-Introduction-PHA-based oriented structures-Poly(caprolactone)-based fibres-Structure of drawn fibers-Thermal properties-Enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation-Other biodegradable and sustainable polyesters-Application of polyester-based biodegradable fibres-Future trends and concluding remarks-ReferencesThe route to synthetic silksF Vollrath and A Sponner, Department of Zoology, UK-Introduction-Silk structures-Development of fibre. the feedstock-Development of fibre. Spinning-Performance characteristics-Applications-Future trends-Acknowledgments-References and sources of further informationBiodegradable natural fiber compositesA N Netravali, Cornell University, USA-Introduction-Biodegradable fibers-Biodegradable resins-Soy protein based green composites-Conclusion and future trends-Acknowledgments-ReferencesBiodegradable nonwovensG Bhat and H Rong, The University of Tennessee, USA-Introduction-Nonwoven fabrics-Fiber consumption in nonwovens-Web formation methods-Web bonding techniques-Technology and relative production rate-Recent research on biodegradable nonwovens-Applications of biodegradable nonwovens-Flushable nonwovens-Leading producers of nonwovens-Sources of further information and advice-ReferencesNatural geotextilesC Lawrence, University of Leeds, UK and B Collier, University of Tennessee, USA-Introduction-Fundamental aspects of geotextiles-Fibres used for natural geotextile products-Fibre extraction and preparation-Production of natural geotextile products-Measurement of the properties of natural geotextiles-ReferencesConversion of cellulose, chitin and chitosan to filaments with simple salt solutionsH S Whang and N Aminuddin, Fiber and Polymer Science Program, M Frey, Cornell University, S M Hudson and J A Cuculo, Fiber and Polymer Science Program, USA-Introduction-Cellulose in liquid ammonia/ammonium thiocyanate solutions-Fibers from chitin and chitosan-Future trends-Sources of further information-ReferencesSoya bean protein fibres – past, present and futureM M Brooks, University of Southampton, UK-Introduction-The soya bean plant-Naming regenerated protein fibres-The need for new fibre sources-Generalised method for producing soya bean fibre in the mid-twentieth century-Contemporary research into alternative protein fibre sources-Contemporary methods for producing fibres from soya bean protein-Fibre characteristics-Identifying soya bean protein fibres-Degradation behaviour-A truly biodegradable and ecological fibre? Conclusion-Acknowledgements-References

PVC is incredibly useful stuff, but it does have quite an impact on the environment. But perhaps for not too much longer - what if there was a more earth friendly PVC, a biodegradable type? One of the problems of PVC - and actually one of its benefits in terms of useable life, is the fact it doesn't break down, not even in landfill. Enter BIOflex PVC, developed by Biotech Products. The company states it has developed a patented nontoxic formula that enables complete landfill decomposition within 3 - 5 years. According to information provided to me by John Sulano of Biotech Products, when in a landfill situation, the carbon and hydrogen content of BIOflex are partly consumed by organisms which release methane from fermentation. Methane is another greenhouse gas, however it can be harvested as an energy source as is currently occuring in well managed landfills. The chlorine content of BIOflex is partly consumed and partly converted to soluble chloride, which has value as a fertilizer. Soluble chloride has value as fertilizer since it makes soil nitrogen more rapidly available to plants. The biodegradability of BIOflex has been tested under the ASTM D5526, which is the standard test method for determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials under accelerated landfill conditions BIOflex contains no heavy metals, pesticides, bleaching agents, DOP or similar plasticizers, glycol or carcinogenic coloring agents. Additionally, 80% of the content is derived from sources other than crude oil. BIOflex is primarily made with fine particle limestone that provides opacity and plasticizers of organic origin that provide its flexibility. If you'd like more details about the product, here's the contact details John Sulano, JrBIOtech Products Ltd. USA. us

These compost pail liners do away with the messiest job in the kitchen. cleaning out the compost pail. No more scrubbing, no more odor, no need to carry the pail out to the compost pile. And best of all, our bags are made of 100% biodegradable cornstarch, so you can toss the whole thing into your compost bin.

From left to right biodegradable confetti in Vibrant Orange, Vibrant Yellow, Vibrant Purple, Snow White, Hot Pink, Periwinkle Blue and Shamrock. Ecofetti is the perfect Wedding Confetti for a fun bridal toss withNo Cleanup Worries - biodegradable and water soluble.

Mix and match for a unique look. the vibrant orange and bright pink mixed is perfect for a tropical beach wedding. To see closeups of different color combinations check out our Mix and Match page! Ecofetti is the new safe and accepted wedding toss with no cleanup worries. Water-soluble and completely biodegradable confetti - either hose it away or let nature help with the cleanup.The perfect alternative to rice or birdseed, no slipping or staining, and ecofetti flutters easily to the ground. Add lavender buds (a symbol of devotion) for a wonderful fragrance! We also offer pretty vellum tossing cones (order 4 scoops per cone) and do-it-yourself kits of individual glassine envelopes (order 2 scoops of Ecofetti per envelope) and favor seals or fully assembled pre-packaged individual favor tosses or check out our beautiful freeze dried rose petals for an elegant wedding send off! Ecofetti is packaged with a scoop. Packages contain enough for each guest to have 1 rounded Tablespoon for the toss. If using a basket for guests to help themselves, you may want to increase the amount ordered - some enthusiastic guests can take 2 to 3 times that amount.

A link for our Australian customers for our authorized ecofetti supplier!"Fantastic product and better than described. and since it was 100% biodegradable, it made the B&B we held our event at happy too as the clean-up was so easy! I highly recommend this product, this vendor and this site." from Tracy, Easley, SC

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It's been all over the blogosphere, but we've now been asked to say a little something about it. researchers at the University of Warwick, UK, and the Pvaxx Research & Development company have come up with a polymer that looks and feels like any other plastic, but which biodegrades to soil. researchers then embedded a sunflower seed in the plastic, so that when discarded, a plant will grow, feeding on the nitrates in the biodegraded polymer. Motorola initiated the research, but hasn't yet decided whether to actually use the material. While some of the coverage for the story has suggested (at least in the headlines) that this will lead to biodegradable mobile phones, the reality is at once less exciting and more practical. Although discarded cell phones are contributors to toxic metals in the waste stream, the likely initial use will be for the interchangeable cell phone covers, popular with the kids these days and more likely to be tossed out when no longer fashionable or "groovy." Moreover, biodegradable plastic could have much broader application than phone shells. the CNN report suggests that Pvaxx is already looking at uses in "electronics, horticulture, ammunition and household cleaning." I must admit to finding that particular combination of applications fascinating.

Any news on how taxing on the environment this biodegradable plastic is to manufacture? Do the benefits outweigh the negatives? Posted by. alex on December 6, 2004 8.48 PM

Definitely sounds interesting. New lines of biodegradable cups, plates, and utensils have been on the market for a while, these are great things to use for cafeterias, (restaurants, etc), so you could develop a waste stream for composting. One issue from corn based plastics would be similar to ethanol's net energy problems. We're using petroleum to grow starch to make biodegradable plastic, with perhaps a small increase of output from input. What other starch sources exist with a better return? I just tried cooking taro root for the first time. When looking for recipes, one site said it has 5 times as much starch as potato. Sure enough, when I put the chunks in boiling water, the water immediately started to thicken and burble like I'd thrown starch into it. Commentators on a gardening site said taro grows like a weed in Southern (US) climes and can actually be a problem. Hmm, super starchy plant that actually grows too well? Time to get those markets rolling. Posted by. Bear K on December 6, 2004 10.38 PM

The only PVAXX patent I could find (Scifinder Scholar. see title & number below) concerned the manufacture of biodegradable capsules from poly(vinyl alchohol) w/ some additives. While these are degradeable, the parent polymer poly(vinyl acetate) is composed of monomers made industrially from ethylene and acetic acid, which both usually ultimately come from oil. Maybe they have some newer technology that is greener, but presumably they would have patented it before the big news blitz? This is not to say they aren't on the right track, just that there is still a long way to go. Stevens, Henry Guy. Dawson, John Colin. Apparatus for blow-molding capsules of poly(vinyl alcohol). PCT Int. Appl. (2001), 32 pp. CODEN. PIXXD2 WO us. A1 us. CAN 135.200544 AN 2001.661332 Posted by. b grubbs on December 7, 2004 12.54 PM

And the particles circulated through the bodies and eventually circulated into the tumors of the mice, and there we could see the tumors light up with the glow of the fluorescent nano-particles."The tumors glowed for several hours and then dimmed as the particles broke down. Levels dropped noticeably in a week and were undetectable after four weeks. Such targeted therapy may allow doctors to use smaller doses of a drug and so reduce potentially toxic side effects. This was the first study to image tumors and organs using biodegradable silicon nano-particles in live animals.

Dear EarthTalk. Is it true that nothing really biodegrades in a landfill? Laura, via e-mail Organic substances biodegrade when they are broken down by other living organisms (such as enzymes and microbes) into their constituent parts, and in turn recycled by nature as the building blocks for new life. The process can occur aerobically (with the aid of oxygen) or anaerobically (without oxygen). Substances break down much faster under aerobic conditions, as oxygen helps break the molecules apart. Landfills Too Tightly Packed for Most Trash to Biodegrade Most landfills are fundamentally anaerobic because they are compacted so tightly, and thus do not let much air in. As such, any biodegradation that does take place does so very slowly. Typically in landfills, theres not much dirt, very little oxygen, and few if any microorganisms, says green consumer advocate and author Debra Lynn Dadd. She cites a landfill study conducted by University of Arizona researchers that uncovered still-recognizable 25-year-old hot dogs, corncobs and grapes in landfills, as well as 50-year-old newspapers that were still readable. Processing May Inhibit Biodegradation Biodegradable items also may not break down in landfills if the industrial processing they went through prior to their useful days converted them into forms unrecognizable by the microbes and enzymes that facilitate biodegradation. A typical example is petroleum, which biodegrades easily and quickly in its original form. crude oil. But when petroleum is processed into plastic, it is no longer biodegradable, and as such can clog up landfills indefinitely. Some manufacturers make claims that their products are photodegradable, which means that they will biodegrade when exposed to sunlight. A popular example is the plastic polybag in which many magazines now arrive protected in the mail. But the likelihood that such items will be exposed to sunlight while buried dozens of feet deep in a landfill is little to none. And if they do biodegrade at all, it is only likely to be into smaller pieces of plastic. Landfill Design and Technology May Enhance Biodegradation Some landfills are now being designed to promote biodegradation through the injection of water, oxygen, and even microbes. But these kinds of facilities are costly to create and, as a result, have not caught on. Another recent development involves landfills that have separate sections for compostable materials, such as food scraps and yard waste. Some analysts believe that as much as 65 percent of the waste currently sent to landfills in North America consists of such biomass that biodegrades rapidly and could generate a new income stream for landfills. marketable soil. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is Best Solution for Landfills But getting people to sort their trash accordingly is another matter entirely. Indeed, paying heed to the importance of the environmental movements Three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!) is likely the best approach to solving the problems caused by our ever-growing piles of trash. With landfills around the world reaching capacity, technological fixes are not likely to make our waste disposal problems go away. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to. EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P. O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881. submit it at. www. emagazine. com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail. us . EarthTalk is a regular feature of E/The Environmental Magazine. Selected EarthTalk columns are reprinted on About Environmental Issues by permission of the editors of E.

If your company wants to go green and reduce its carbon footprint, cut down on waste with biodegradable knives, spoons and forks. Every year more than 400,000 pounds of plastic forks, spoons and knives find their way to landfills across the United States. Switching your companys plasticware to biodegradable alternatives reduces the amount of waste you create and the amount of plastic in landfills. Bear in mind the biodegradable knives temperature and decomposition time when selecting the best product for you. Potato-based knives are resistant to medium to high heat, but they require the longest time to decompose. Corn-based or wheat-based knives can handle more heat than potato-based knives and decompose in a shorter amount of time. Vegetable starch knives withstand the most heat and decompose quickly.1. Buy potato-based biodegradable knives.2. Find corn-based or wheat-based biodegradable knives.3. Purchase vegetable starch-based biodegradable knives.

Find biodegradable knives made from potatoes Potato-based biodegradable knives can withstand heats up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. These biodegradable knives completely decompose within 200 days.

Visit the Eco-Wise website to find biodegradable knives and other environmentally-friendly utensils. Green Home is a leading biodegradable knives provider and allows customers to buy the knives in cases of 1,000. Vegware carries potato-based cutlery by the case in multi-packs for resale and in single packs that include a spoon, fork and napkin. Purchase biodegradable knives made from corn or wheat Corn-based or wheat-based knives are made to withstand heat up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Biodegradable knives made of wheat or corn decompose in 100 days when in a compost pile.

Earthware Biodegradables sells corn-based biodegradable knives wholesale to many food service and retail companies. Search the biodegradable knives list at Wheatware. com to find compostable knives made from wheat or corn. Read biodegradable knives information and find biodegradable knives at CoffeeGIANT. com. Locate a biodegradable knives provider that specializes in vegetable starch-based products Biodegradable cutlery made from vegetable starches holds up in heat between 150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the thickness of the product. These biodegradable knives completely decompose in within 100 days.

Browse the biodegradable knives directory of products at BioSmart to find biodegradable knives. Branch is a biodegradable knives provider and manufacturer. The Green Supply Company provides customers with biodegradable knives in packages of 500 and 1,000.

If your company wants to go green and reduce its carbon footprint, cut down on waste with biodegradable knives, spoons and forks. Every year more than 400,000 pounds of plastic forks, spoons and knives find their way to landfills across the United States. Switching your companys plasticware to biodegradable alternatives reduces the amount of waste you create and the amount of plastic in landfills. Bear in mind the.

MacroMed Inc., 9520 South State Street, Sandy, UT 84070, USA. us Release of several drugs from new ABA-type biodegradable thermal gels, ReGel, including proteins and conventional molecules, are presented. These are biodegradable, biocompatible polymers that demonstrate reverse thermal gelation properties. Organic solvents are not used in the synthesis, purification, or formulation of these polymers. The unique characteristics of ReGel hinge on the following two key properties. (1) ReGel is a water soluble, biodegradable polymer at temperatures below the gel transition temperature. (2) ReGel forms a water-insoluble gel once injected. This is consistent with a hydrophobically bonded gel state where all interactions are physical, with no covalent crosslinking. An increase in viscosity of approximately 4 orders of magnitude accompanies the sol--gel transition. The gel forms a controlled release drug depot with delivery times ranging from 1 to 6 weeks. ReGel's inherent ability to solubilize (400 to 2000-fold) and stabilize poorly soluble and sensitive drugs, including proteins is a substantial benefit. The gel provided excellent control of the release of paclitaxel for approximately 50 days. Direct intratumoral injection of ReGel/paclitaxel (OncoGel) results in a slow clearance of paclitaxel from the injection site with minimal distribution into any organ. Efficacies equivalent to maximum tolerated systemic dosing were observed at OncoGel doses that were 10-fold lower. Data on protein release (pGH, G-CSF, insulin, rHbsAg) and polymer biocompatibility are discussed. PMID. us. [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Control of blood glucose by novel GLP-1 delivery using biodegradable triblock copolymer of PLGA-PEG-PLGA in type 2 diabetic rats.

Biodegradable block copolymers for delivery of proteins and water-insoluble drugs. Biodegradable block copolymers for delivery of proteins and water-insoluble drugs.

Biopolymer, Agro-polymer, Agro-resource, Biomaterial, Biodegradable polymer, Biopolyesters (PLA, PCL, PHA.), Starch (Plasticized Starch, Thermoplastic Starch or TPS), Chitosan, Ligno-cellulose fiber, Biocomposite, Nano-(bio)composite, Vegetable oil polymer, Glyceride, Environment, Compostable or biodegradable Packaging, Electrospinning, Tissue Engineering (Scaffold),

Abstract-Proof. - Pogodina N., Cercl C., Avrous L., Thomann R., Bouquey M., Muller R. (2008) Processing and Characterization of Biodegradable Polymer Nanocomposites. Detection of Dispersion State

Vol. 293, N11, pp. us. - Schwach E., Six JL, Avrous L. (2008) Biodegradable blends based on starch and poly(lactic acid). Comparison of different strategies and estimate of compatibilization.

Bordes P., Pollet E., Avrous L. (2009) Nano-biocomposites. Biodegradable polyester/nanoclay systems

Avrous L. (2008) Multilayer Coextrusion of Starch/Biopolyester in Biodegradable Polymer Blends and Composites from Renewable Resources Ed. Long Yu, John Wiley Sons Inc., Chap. 18, pp. us.

But even if cigarette filters were quick to degrade, we would still have fires caused by lit cigarette butts, and the toxins found in cigarette butts would still be harmful. That is why Clean Virginia Waterways believes the best way to decrease cigarette butt litter is to educate smokers, rather than try to make filters biodegradable.

Hello and Welcome to Bioplastic Product & Biodegradable Blog. Please find your products that you want to use or information about Bioplastic, Biodegradable, Renewable, Recycle and more Environmental Friendly Products.

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Woodhead Textiles Series No. 47-indispensable new book on this hot topic-discusses the major fibre types, inlcuding bast fibres-looks at biodegradable and sustainable fibres as an effective way of reducing the harm disposed textiles have on the environment-edited by a leading authority in the field with contributions from experts worldwideWith increasing concerns regarding the effect the textile industry is having on the environment, more and more textile researchers, producers and manufacturers are looking to biodegradable and sustainable fibres as an effective way of reducing the impact textiles have on the environment. The emphasis in Biodegradable and sustainable fibres is on textiles that are beneficial by their biodegradation and come from sustainable sources. Biodegradable and sustainable fibres opens with a discussion of microbial processes in fibre degradation. It then moves on to discuss the major fibre types, including bast fibres, alginates, cellulose and speciality biodegradable fibres, such as lyocell, poly(lactic acid) and poly(hydroxyalkanoate)s. The development of synthetic silks is covered along with biodegradable natural fibre composites, nonwovens, and geotextiles. The final chapter looks at the history and future of soya bean protein fibres. Biodegradable and sustainable fibres is a comprehensive monograph providing essential reference for anyone interested in the area and environmental issues relating to textiles including fibre and textile scientists and students, textile technologists, manufacturers, and forensic specialists in industry and academia. ISBN 1 85573 916 XISBN-13. 978 1 85573 916 1November us. pages234 x 156mmhardback150.00 / US$285.00 / 190.00Usually dispatched within 24 hours

Richard Blackburn is a Senior Lecturer in Textile and Colour Chemistry at the University of Leeds. His research interests include thermodynamics and kinetics of application of colorants to synthetic and natural fibre substrates, synthesis and processing of biodegradable and sustainable fibres, chemicals from renewable resources, and life cycle analysis. He is the leader of the Green Chemistry Group in the Centre for Technical Textiles at the University of Leeds and he has contributed numerous papers to internationally leading journals.

IntroductionR S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UKMicrobial processes in the degradation of fibersP M Fedorak, University of Alberta, Canada-Introduction-Background and terminology-Incubation conditions used for studying biodegradation of fibers and films-Sources of microorganisms and enzymes for laboratory incubations-Analytical methods used to assess biodegradation of fibers and films-Examples of types of bonds that are susceptible to enzymatic attack-Future trends-Acknowledgements-ReferencesBast fibres (flax, hemp, jute, ramie, kenaf, abaca)R Kozlowski, P Baraniecki and J Barriga-Bedoya, Institute of Natural Fibres, Poland-Introduction-Flax-Hemp-Jute-Ramie-Kenaf-Abaca-Comparison of fibre properties-ReferencesAlginate fibresP J Brown and J M Muri, Clemson University, USA.-Introduction-The chemical nature of alginate materials-Physical properties of alginate based materials-Industrial applications of alginates-Fabrication of alginates as useful flexible substrates in medical textile based products-Alginates in bioengineering-ReferencesCellulosic fibres and fabric processingD Ciechañska, Institute of Chemical Fibres, Poland and P Nousiainen, Tampere University of Technology, Finland-Introduction-Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)-The mechanisms of enzymatic reactions on wood and cellulose-Biodegradability of cellulose fibres in textile blends-Biotechnology for manufacture and modification of cellulosic fibres-Enzyme applications in fabric and dyestuff processing-Hygienic and medical fibres-Future trends of cellulosic fibres-ReferencesLyocell fibresP White, M Hayhurst, J Taylor and A Slater, Tencel Ltd, Derby, UK-Introduction-Process description-Lyocell sustainability-Lyocell fibre properties-Lyocell in textiles-Lyocell – a versatile, high performance fibre for nonwovens-Marketing-The future-Useful references for further informationPolylactic and acid fibresD Farrington, Cargill-Dow, LLC, USA and R S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UK-Introduction-Chemistry and manufacture of PLA polymer resin-PLA fibre properties-Applications-Environmental sustainability-PLA fibres and the future-ReferencesPoly(hydroxyalkanoates) and poly(caprolactane)I Chodák, Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Slovakia, and R S Blackburn, University of Leeds, UK-Introduction-PHA-based oriented structures-Poly(caprolactone)-based fibres-Structure of drawn fibers-Thermal properties-Enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation-Other biodegradable and sustainable polyesters-Application of polyester-based biodegradable fibres-Future trends and concluding remarks-ReferencesThe route to synthetic silksF Vollrath and A Sponner, Department of Zoology, UK-Introduction-Silk structures-Development of fibre. the feedstock-Development of fibre. Spinning-Performance characteristics-Applications-Future trends-Acknowledgments-References and sources of further informationBiodegradable natural fiber compositesA N Netravali, Cornell University, USA-Introduction-Biodegradable fibers-Biodegradable resins-Soy protein based green composites-Conclusion and future trends-Acknowledgments-ReferencesBiodegradable nonwovensG Bhat and H Rong, The University of Tennessee, USA-Introduction-Nonwoven fabrics-Fiber consumption in nonwovens-Web formation methods-Web bonding techniques-Technology and relative production rate-Recent research on biodegradable nonwovens-Applications of biodegradable nonwovens-Flushable nonwovens-Leading producers of nonwovens-Sources of further information and advice-ReferencesNatural geotextilesC Lawrence, University of Leeds, UK and B Collier, University of Tennessee, USA-Introduction-Fundamental aspects of geotextiles-Fibres used for natural geotextile products-Fibre extraction and preparation-Production of natural geotextile products-Measurement of the properties of natural geotextiles-ReferencesConversion of cellulose, chitin and chitosan to filaments with simple salt solutionsH S Whang and N Aminuddin, Fiber and Polymer Science Program, M Frey, Cornell University, S M Hudson and J A Cuculo, Fiber and Polymer Science Program, USA-Introduction-Cellulose in liquid ammonia/ammonium thiocyanate solutions-Fibers from chitin and chitosan-Future trends-Sources of further information-ReferencesSoya bean protein fibres – past, present and futureM M Brooks, University of Southampton, UK-Introduction-The soya bean plant-Naming regenerated protein fibres-The need for new fibre sources-Generalised method for producing soya bean fibre in the mid-twentieth century-Contemporary research into alternative protein fibre sources-Contemporary methods for producing fibres from soya bean protein-Fibre characteristics-Identifying soya bean protein fibres-Degradation behaviour-A truly biodegradable and ecological fibre? Conclusion-Acknowledgements-References

RIVERWOODS, Ill., Dec 09, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Discover Financial Services today announced the launch of a biodegradable Discover(R) Card option, the only U. S. biodegradable consumer credit card currently available in the marketplace.

The biodegradable Discover Card is made of biodegradable PVC, a substance that allows 99 percent of the card plastic to be safely absorbed when exposed to landfill conditions. The card plastic will begin to break down in soil, water, compost or wherever microorganisms are present. with it fully degrading within five years. The biodegradable card can be identified by the biodegradable symbol that will be visible on the back of the card.

The biodegradable Discover Card is another way for environmentally conscious consumers to do their part to help protect our planet," said Kelly Tufts, director of marketing planning & strategy at Discover Financial Services.

The biodegradable card provides the same best-in-class features and benefits that all Discover Card cash rewards cards include, such as.

Discover Cardmembers can simply request the biodegradable card at or by calling 1-800-DISCOVER ( us. ). Individuals looking to apply for the card also can call 1-800-DISCOVER ( us. ).

The reason plastic is awesome is that it's super durable, so it lasts forever, which is an issue when we want it to go away and take its place in the circle life. Biodegradable plastics aren't new, but in the past they've been pretty weak and expensive. Eco-geeks at the Missouri University of Science and Technology have come up with the anti-daywalker of plastic. All of its strengths, but it disintegrates in four months. They've got different plastic polymer cocktails depending on useone for water bottles, another for grocery sackswith varying bio-based fillers that'll break down easier. One possible filler is glycerol, which is a waste product of making biodiesel. Another is polylactic acid, which is made by fermenting starches, and breaks down in just 60 daysit's a possible candidate for water bottle plastics. The bio-based fillers in the polymers will make it cheaper than past biogradegradables, but still fairly strong. Course, you could use a polycarbonate or steel bottle over and over again, and cloth grocery bags, and skip the plastic entirely, but someone's gotta take out those bastard sea gulls. [PhysOrg via PopSci via New Launches, Image via Flickr]

All of these Eco Friendly promotional bags are earth friendly. Choose from biodegradable plastic bags or paper bags in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors, like gift bags filled with hypoallergenic and biodegradable products, or golf gift bags with biodegradable tees. All can be imprinted with your company logo. Whatever your preferred Eco Friendly promotional bags are, youll find them here. High quality bags for trade shows, goodie bags, storage or anything else you can imagine. Some bags come filled with almost every imaginable accessory for outdoor fun golf balls, biodegradable golf tees, divot tools, towels, and ball markers for the golfers or the golf outing. For fun in the sun, there are hypoallergenic, natural blocks, screens, and lip balm, moisturizers and lotions. To warm up, there are a variety of foot warmers, and hand warmers as well as wine bags for picnics. All the bags and their contents are biodegradable. Some mesh, some solid, bags are made from organic cotton, burlap, canvas or an advanced blend of resins combined with a biodegrading agent allows for the breakdown of polyethylene film when it comes in contact with soil, water or compost. CLICK HERE to see our Biodegradable Bags

Every year between 4,000 and 6,000 tons of sunscreen washes off of tourists during their vacations. This sunscreen contains chemicals and oils that are harmful to the marine ecosystem, particularly coral reefs. All over Mexico, the use of biodegradable sunblock and sunscreen is starting to be required for entry into the waters, scuba diving or snorkeling tours. At such famous locales such as Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Garrafon Park, Chankanaab Park, and the protected marine park in Cozumel, use of biodegradable sunscreen is mandatory, and any other type of sun products are confiscated upon entry to their facilities. Puerto Vallarta has not yet instituted these strict requirements, but we encourage everyone to use them when visiting.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BIODEGRADABLE SUNSCREEN Q. What is biodegradable sunscreen? A. Biodegradable sunblock is environmentally friendly sunscreen that lacks the harmful ingredients that are destroying the worlds coral reefs. These sunscreens are biodegradable, meaning they break down naturally in the environment, and eco-friendly, meaning that they minimize damage to the environment. We strongly encourage using only biodegradable sunscreen anytime you are going to be in the water. Q. What kind of damage does sunscreen do to the marine ecosystem? A. One of the most harmful things to the natural underwater environment of Mexico and elsewhere is the sunscreens, oils, and sunblocks worn by tourists. We dont think of it, but when we swim in the water, these oils come off and settle on the coral reefs and other marine life, and in volume can almost act like an oil slick in the water, creating damage to the delicate ecosystems. The reefs are suffocated, and sunscreens are one of the biggest causes of bleaching to our reefs, and the death of much of the worlds coral. Q. Ive never heard of this before. Are you making this stuff up? A. See the links below for the latest information. National Geographic. Swimmers Suncreen Killing Off Corals E-Turbo News. Tourist Sunscreen Killing Off Coral Reefs Indian Ocean Sea Turtles. Sunscreen May Be Killing Corals Environmental Science Tech. Sunscreens go Viral on Coral Discover Magazine. The Biology of Sunscreens Q. Why does coral get bleached? Is coral bleaching really a problem? A. The ingredients in normal sunscreens promote viral infection in the coral, as well as covering it with oils and goo. Between 4,000 and 6,000 tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers every year on their vacations. As much as 25% of the worlds coral reefs are in imminent danger of collapse due to human pressures, and another 25% is in longer term danger. Q. Where can I buy Biodegradable Suncreen? A. Our preferred brand is MexiTan, you can see the banner at the top of the page. However, there are other good options as well. There are eco-friendly products made by Soleo Organics, KissMyFace, UV Natural, and Caribbean Solutions. Some health food stores carry these items, but they are few and far between. Your local drug store will normally not stock these brands. Sometimes you can find these brands in Mexico, but they are not widely carried at the tourist shops or drugstores in Puerto Vallarta. Your best bet is to buy them online before your trip. Q. Are there certain ingredients to watch out for? A. Some of the most harmful ingredients that many sunscreens contain, including some that are actually biodegradable such as those made by Natures Gate and Australian Gold, are PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, oils, chemicals or the preservative butylparaben. If your sunscreen has any of these ingredients, it is not safe for use on the reefs.

Recent years have seen a major increase in interest in biodegradable renewable packaging materials. Reasons for this include.

Long-term renewability of the raw materials employed for the production of most biodegradable materials.

Three generations of starch-based plastics are recognized. The first generation consists of a synthetic polymer. Starch is only used as a filling material it’s polymeric properties are not made use of. An example are "biodegradable" plastic bags. These bags are not fully biodegradable, though, since they consist of mainly non-biodegradable synthetic polymers like polyethylene or polypropene and only 5-20 percent starch. Under special conditions the starch degrades and the plastic falls apart into small particles, that will prevail for many years although they are not visible. In the second generation the starch is used for its polymeric properties. It is blended with hydrophilic synthetic polymers and contributes to the strength of the material. 50-80% starch can be used in these plastics, but still a large part is not biodegradable. The third generation is a truly biodegradable plastic, that does not contain synthetic polymers at all. To improve some of the properties of the plastic, the biopolymer may be modified, but no synthetic materials are necessary.[42] The barrier properties that are required for a film depend on it’s use. Fresh fruits or vegetables have to be able to breath, so a film with too low an oxygen and/or carbon dioxide permeability can not be used. Foods which are rich in polyunsaturated fat, however, are sensitive to oxygen and need a film with a high oxygen barrier. Often the barrier against water is the most important function of a film, since aw is an important factor for the shelf life of a product (microbial growth, chemical reactions, crispiness).[33]

Foods coated with a film that is highly impermeable to fat will absorb less fat when fried.[33] Edible coatings can also protect the outside structure of a food during mechanical handling, for example extruded or frozen foods.[33] Biodegradable plastics can made by micro-organisms or by man. The latter can be from natural products (e. g. starch or proteins) or synthetic polymers. Some commercial biodegradable plastics are presented in table 1. In table 2 some properties are given of a number of biodegradable plastics.

This vertical directory comprehensively lists the most trusted companies providing Biodegradable Film to industry. This is an industrial directory listing all companies which are manufacturers, service companies and distributors and provide Biodegradable Film. Discuss Biodegradable Film & Other Topics

Film Biodegradable Cleaners Biodegradable Lubricants Biodegradable Packaging Biodegradable Oils Biodegradable Foam Biodegradable Degreasers Biodegradable Bags Biodegradable Compounds Biodegradable Grease Biodegradable Polymers Plastic Film Stretch Film Shrink Film Adhesive Film More.

Distributor, Custom Manufacturer, Service Company Company Profile. Manufacturer of biodegradable film. Services include trimming, sheeting, slitting, rewinding, multi-layer laminating, hole punching, corner rounding, packaging & material sourcing of plastic film. Materials include polyester, vinyl, acetate, polyethylene & polypropylene.

Manufacturer, Custom Manufacturer Company Profile. Custom manufacturer of films including biodegradable films with gas barrier properties. Films are flexible, thermoformable, printable & recyclable. Applications include FDA approved food packaging such as overwrapping, tray films, plastic bags, mulch films & agricultural films. Films meet ASTM.

Brentwood Plastics, Inc. - Saint Louis, MO Manufacturer, Custom Manufacturer Company Profile. Manufacturer of biodegradable polyethylene film for packaging. Custom biodegradability tailored to temperature & humidity conditions after usage. FDA & Kosher approved. Brand Names. Regresa

Kyana Packaging & Industrial Supply - Louisville, KY Distributor, Service Company Company Profile. Woman-owned distributor of industrial films & products including barrier films & biodegradable films. Barrier films meet Military Specs. Brand Names. 3M, Edco, Intertape Polymer, Storopack, Western Plastics, All-Flex, Main Tape, Sigma Stretch, AEP.

General Plastic Extrusions, Inc. - Prescott, WI Distributor, Manufacturer Company Profile. ISO 9001.2000 certified custom manufacturer of biodegradable films for food packaging, electronic, electrical, medical & printing applications. Anti-fog, anti-static, blown, biaxially-oriented, co-extruded, corrosion resistant, embossed, ESD, flame retardant, laminated, lidding, lithographic,.

Integrated Packaging Systems - Multiple Locations Distributor, Manufacturer, Service Company www.4ips. biz/products. php?id=5 Company Profile. Distributor of films including biodegradable, blown, coated, coextruded & conductive films as packaging. Materials include polyethylene, polypropylene & polyvinyl-chloride. Films available in low, medium & high density polyethylene & polypropylene products in water-based & solvent-based adhesive. Brand Names. Permacel, Nitto Denko, Poli-Film America

Green Packaging, Inc. - Lansdale, PA Distributor, Manufacturer Company Profile. Distributor of Green Share recycled & biodegradable/compostable post consumer (PC film) poly films. Contain 35 to 50% post-consumer recycled polyethylene blended with virgin resins or no conventional plastics option, thickness from 1.25 mil to 7 mil, clear or white (custom colors available),.

BIODEGRADABLE SIMPLE PINE CASKETS DESIGNED FOR NATURAL GREEN BURIALS AND CREMATIONS. IDEAL ORTHODOX JEWISH BURIAL CASKETS

Because they are made of solid pine wood and fully biodegradable, they are perfect for eco-friendly natural burials and green cremations. They are also most suitable for Orthodox Jewish burials.

The wood used for these finely crafted caskets is sourced from sustainable forests. the forests are managed similar to the guidelines approved by the Forest Stewardship Council [Fair Trade ethos]. The caskets are sanded to a cabinet smooth finish, which brings out the natural colors of the wood. No plastic or metal is incorporated in the caskets during their production. They are free of any stains, varnishes and oils. no animal products are used. Functional rope handles are supplied. Unlike the highly toxic glue used in chipboard caskets, our caskets are manufactured with biodegradable, non-toxic glue. this makes both burial and cremation more environmentally friendly. For ease of storage, particularly for those planning their own funeral, the caskets are supplied in easy-to-assemble knock-down kit form. the components are shrink-wrapped in biodegradable plastic for damp proofing and placed in a strong corrugated cardboard box in order to withstand rough handling. The boxes are only 3 inches high and can be stacked 20 high without any risk of damage. The casket kits are extremely easy to assemble and can be done in a matter of minutes. No woodworking or diy expertise or tools, other than a screwdriver, are required. Easy to follow pictorial assembly instructions are supplied with every casket and digital images showing the assembly process can also be viewed by clicking the "Assembly Information" link below.

Nokia is planning to launch around 40 new green phone models this year — each comprising biodegradable components that can be easily recycled.

Mobile phones are not biodegradable. They contain small amounts of potentially harmful substances such as cadmium, lithium, among others, in their batteries which, if not managed properly, can damage the environment. D Shivakumar, VP and managing director, Nokia India, told Business Standard. "We will be using biodegradable phone covers, recyclable battery designs that use less harmful toxic materials and energy efficient accessories for all our forthcoming phones. Already, we have eliminated the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) in all our phones." In markets like the US, Nokia encloses a pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope in sales packs, providing customers an easy method for returning used products for recycling, at no cost to them. "The consumer simply places the contents in the bag and then puts it in their mailbox. We are evaluating similar refurbishment processes for India, which is the second-largest telecom market," added Shivakumar. Nokia uses biomaterials, such as polylactic acid (PLA) plastics with plant or other biomass-based modifiers that help reduce the use of non-renewable materials. An additional bonus is that the energy required to produce PLA — from raw material to plastic pellet — is minimal. Elastomers based on biomaterials can be used as rubber-like materials to seal off the battery case. Nokia's Eco Sensor concept is rooting for the phone and detector units that will be optimised for lower energy consumption than phones in 2007 in both the manufacturing process and use. Alternative energy sources, such as solar power, will fuel the sensor unit's power usage. Nokia is also investing in green bins across all its priority dealer centres, where customers can drop their old phones, and plans to extend this service across all Nokia centres. It had earlier launched its first eco-friendly phone, the 3110, which is claimed to be more around 65 per cent recyclable. "The green phones, which we will launch this year, will be introduced across all price ranges," said Shivakumar. The company is also aiming to reduce amount of energy consumed by mobile chargers. "We are also hopeful of reducing the no load power consumption — the power wasted when a charger is left in a live power socket — by a further 50 per cent by 2010." Nokia will also be focusing on training and awareness programmes designed to ensure that those working in care centres operated on behalf of Nokia take-back programme can advise consumers on recycling issues. There have been similar attempts by other researchers and companies too. A revolutionary biodegradable phone cover exhibited by researchers in London contained a sunflower seed. The cover, when biodegrades in compost, releases important nutrients that nurse the growing sunflower seedling. For instance, biodegradable plastic — developed by Sony — is a polylactic acid derived from natural sugars extracted from corn starch. It comprises around 60 per cent of the outer surface area of the phone's case and battery cover. And a revolutionary biodegradable phone cover exhibited by researchers in London contained a sunflower seed. They used a biodegradable polymer as the mobile phone cladding and implanted a sunflower seed inside. The cover, when biodegrades in compost, releases important nutrients that nurse the growing sunflower seedling. Incidentally, Nokia missed the top spot in this year's Greenpeace ‘Guide to Greener Electronics', while Motorola rose from the 14th to 12th position. "Testing of Motorola's take-back programme by Greenpeace revealed improvements in Motorola's take-back service in the Philippines, Thailand, and India," note Greenpeace findings. With around 10 such take-back stores in India, according to Motorola website, the company encourages consumers to drop Motorola products into an EcoMoto take-back bin from where authorised contractors collect and transport these items to approved recycling facilities. Greenpeace ranks electronics companies based on toxic chemicals use and e-waste regulations. Nokia is targeting to have all new products launched after the end of 2009, free of restricted flame retardants (all brominated and chlorinated compounds and antimony trioxide).

The National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste was published in April 2006 and sets out measures to progressively divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill in accordance with the agreed targets in EU Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste. Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste (known as the Landfill Directive) requires Member States of the European Union to reduce their dependence on the landfill of municipal waste in favour of more environmentally sound alternatives. Article 5 of the Directive specifically requires each Member State to prepare a National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste which will set out measures aimed at the separate collection, recovery and recycling of biodegradable waste. The Directive also sets out targets in relation to the progressive diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. The Strategy is based on the integrated waste management approach established as Government policy since the publication of Changing Our Ways in 1998.The preferred options for dealing with BMW are.

Ernesto Lube.is a readily renewable biodegradable soy-based metal lubricating fluid made for your bike chain.and for you to not feel guilty about the environment. AKA, bicycle bike lube. It is in par with synthetic oils, yet, there's a degree of friendliness to the environment. We're in Wisconsin, and we like our fields green where the girls are pretty. Lubrication is what keeps metals from getting all weird. And ERNESTO BIKE LUBE, being that its healthy for the environment, will do you good for a while, because it lasts a while. Just wipe off the excess and you're set to go.for a while. Questions arise.flat out, we add non-toxic additives to make this formula stick to metal. Quiets and lubricates the chain. We've been asked what if I buy vegetable oil from the store? Answer. go ahead, unless you want to reapply over and over and have crows follow you and peck at your head. Don't forget to wear your helmet, and if you have kids, drag their asses outside and teach them a thing or two.

Biodegradable 13 Gallon Tall Kitchen Trash Bags Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Kitchen Bags and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Tall Kitchen Bags are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Biodegradable 30 Gallon Lawn Leaf Bags Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Lawn Leaf Bags and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Lawn Leaf Bags are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Biodegradable Plastic Drop Cloths Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Plastic Drop Cloths and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Plastic Drop Cloths are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Biodegradable Kitty Litter Bags Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Kitty Litter Bags and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Kitty Litter Bags are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Biodegradable Doggie Duty Bags Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Doggie Duty Bags and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Doggie Duty Bags are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Biodegradable Commercial Trash Bags Want to help save the planet? Buy Perf Go Green Biodegradable Commercial Trash Bags and make a difference! Our Perf Go Green Commercial Trash Bags are made from recycled plastics and are biodegradable. Simply use them, throw them out, and within 2 years they are completely broken down.

Green Starfish offers a complete product solution for the food service industry as well as the local consumer. We offer 100% Biodegradable and 100% compostable products. We offer four major product groups shown below.

Biodegradable Trash Bags – Made from biodegradable resins and approved through the Biodegradable Product Institute. Our bags come in a variety of sizes and fully compost within 50 to 90 days depending on contents.

Biodegradable Cutlery (NEW!) - We offer a full range of compostable cutlery, which is fully biodegradable, compostable, and has a temperature tolerance up to 190 degrees F. They are biodegradable in 90 days.

(Now Available!) Biodegradable Cups, Lids, Domes, Straws, and Containers. These products are made of a biodegradable, compostable corn based resin (PLA- poly lactic acid). These products are fully biodegradable in approximately 80 days.