Recycling

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What are Oxo-degradable Plastics?

March 19, 2010 in Consumers, Eco-Responsible Packaging by admin | No comments

Just like regular plastic, oxo-degradable plastic is made from oil or natural gas by-products, and according to the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OBPA), degradation is possible by adding a chemical substance that decreases the material’s molecular weight over a given time period.

This additive process helps to speed up oxidation of the plastic, which then breaks down as long as the necessary elements of oxygen and microorganisms are available, such as air, soil, landfill, compost, and litter (Ecosafeplastics.com).

Proponents of oxo-degradable plastics claim various science-backed advantages, such as recycling safe and food safe, and also state that the oxo-plastics will biodegrade. However, this is where the debate gets a bit blurry because there is as of yet no one standard for the exact definition of “biodegradability.” According to a recent article from the European Plastics News, the ISO 17088 for example “requires that total biodegradation must be achieved within six months.” For oxo-degradable plastics biodegradation can be a whole lot longer – beyond twelve months.

Also, the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) says they have not yet seen any science backed “biodegradable” plastics that will break down completely in landfills within twelve months and leave no residue as per consumers’ expectations.

According to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guide, a product or package qualifies as biodegradable if it “completely breaks down and returns to nature, decomposing into elements found in nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal.”

Oxo-degradable plastics will leave residues behind in the environment after degradation. Even though these microscopic pellets are not toxic and will not emit methane or nitrous oxide (OBPA 2010), they still remain in the environment and thus, the “biodegradability” argument continues.

One major argument for oxo-degradable plastic is that as long as oil and gas extraction continues for energy consumption, it makes sense to use the associated by-product. Some sources question the use of limited land and water resources for example to produce bio-plastics such as PLA (corn plastic) which requires special industrial composting at 140 degrees. On the other hand, our dependence on non-renewable resources has to shift sooner rather than later so we would be wise to incorporate the available alternatives and help to optimize them.

In addition to the increasing use of PLA, there are agricultural fiber based products available on the market that are made from renewable resources, such as palm, bamboo, bulrush, and bagasse. These products are 100 percent compostable in the backyard compost and once broken down, make a healthy contribution to the soil as humus.

There are concerns that the majority of consumers will still toss compostable plastic packaging into their regular recycling or waste collection bins, especially since the infrastructure for curb side pickup of compost is not yet readily available in many municipalities. However, consumer awareness and responsibility is on the rise and an increasing number of individuals compost and sort their recyclables.

Statistics Canada says that in 2006, 30% of Canadians did compost their kitchen waste through a curb side program. In addition, many municipalities are starting to add compost to their curb-side pickup. Vancouver, my hometown, for example, has just announced their commitment to start a curb side compost program on Earth Day, April 22, 2010. Stay tuned to this blog for a discussion on Vancouver’s new composting initiative.

The Costs of Polystyrene (a.k.a. Styrofoam)

March 13, 2010 in Consumers, Eco-Responsible Packaging by admin | 1 comment

Polystyrene is one of the most widely used petroleum-based plastic products. We pretty much find it everywhere from insulation material for buildings to rescue equipment to packaging (yes, the “peanuts”) to plastic cutlery, coffee cups, and sandwich boxes.

It is synonymous with Styrofoam which is simply the trademark name owned by Dow Chemical Company. It’s easy to see the popularity of polystyrene given its strength, flexibility, lightweight, floatability, dye capacity, and insulation properties, among others. And yes, it is huge for meeting health safety standards and transportation needs. It is hard to imagine how we coped before the 1983 invention came along.

However, there are some major drawbacks. Polystyrene, or plastic No. 6 (PS), will not biodegrade, and according to Earth911.com, “Polystyrene is not easily recycled because it’s lightweight, has a low scrap value, and is not generally accepted as part of curbside recycling programs.” A recent article on styrofoam from the Centre for Civic Governance even suggested scrap value of polystyrene in the U.S. is negative.

While the polystyrene industry has been taking significant steps to advance the recycling of polystyrene, in looking at long-term market trends, the American Chemistry Council sees continuing challenges. When it comes to food services polystyrene in particular, they say that recycling efforts are not significant because the infrastructure required to do so is simply not sustainable in many markets.

So where does it go? Due to polystyrene’s super light weight, it is unsinkable and easily carried by wind and water, thereby causing a large percentage to end up in places other than landfills.

A recent post on the official EPA blog Greenversation noted that “Polystyrene creates waste that just does not go away.” In particular, we see it floating around in our waterways and oceans providing danger to animals. In the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, “There are almost three kilograms of plastic for every half-kilo of plankton, which has a devastating effect on aquatic life that confuse the two” (Civic Governance, 2009). And now, scientists have just discovered another garbage patch in the Atlantic.

In addition, according to the EPA, the production of polystyrene releases 57 chemical byproducts, many of which can cause serious health challenges.

There are many alternatives to polystyrene on the market today, in particular in the packaging world. Click here for a recent post on some of these alternatives.

Here are a couple more interesting links:

Earth Resource Foundation Polystyrene Report

Great Pacific Garbage Patch Video