Plastic is one of the most versatile materials in the world ,and it is everywhere ,in every part world society.the problem is ,plastics are not natural,however ,Biodegradable plastics are the plastic industry’s way of trying to remedy the pollution problem.But unfortunately for us the term biodegradable is complex.
WHAT IS BIODEGRADABLE ?
Let me explain to you
Total there are four terms of plastics .
First :Degradable :
That undergoes significant changes in its chemical structure when subjected to various specific environmental conditions, resulting in a loss of properties that can be measured by standard methods, in a given period of time.
Second ：Biodegradable : That undergoes degradation resulting from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae about 6 months: There is no reference to the amount of time needed for degradation or the type of physical and chemical quality attributes of the end product .
Third ：Compostable :
That undergoes degradation by biological processes during composting to yield carbon dioxide water, inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other compostable materials and leaves no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue
Forth ：OXO-biodegradable : Material to which a metal-based additive is added to accelerate degradation by sunlight (UV), heat and / or mechanical stress.
This first degradation results in small fragments, often invisible to naked eye, that could be biodegraded in a second degradation phase.
Anyway,Some tips to let you know more about :
First ：Don’t put plastic and “biodegradable” bags in your food and yard waste bin:
Second :Plastic bags don’t break down and will ruin the compost.
Third :Bags labeled “biodegradable” usually break down into small pieces, but aren’t compostable.
compostable products require a specific setting in order to break down, whereas biodegradable products break down naturally.
Typically composting is a faster process, but only under the right conditions. Both of these kinds of products are better for the environment than plastic products that can take hundreds of years to disintegrate.
