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Mar 23, 2024 346 likes •438 views

Biodegradation of plastics: A literature review to advise on standards Annemette Kjeldsen Marcus Price, Ewa Guzniczak, Charlotte Lilley With help from Ian Archer and Brad Gillespie 31 January 2019 Background: A request from the Department for

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Biodegradation of plastics: A literature review to advise on standards

Annemette Kjeldsen Marcus Price, Ewa Guzniczak, Charlotte Lilley With help from Ian Archer and Brad Gillespie 31 January 2019

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Why would I want to get involved? Background: A request from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to provide a literature review on plastic biodegradation to help guide policy development and standards for biodegradability.

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Greenpeace.org.uk

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Why does the government need help?

Seems like a great idea – BUT plastic packaging greatly improves shelf-life. Should rather work towards biodegradable alternatives:

Ecologically sensible
Economically feasible
Need to fulfil a trusted, validated,

practical set of standards.

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The variable speed of biodegradation

Conditions Degradation Time Reference 58 °C

13 % 60 days

Bioresour.

Technol. 102,

4930–4933 (2011).

58 °C, pH8.5, 63% humidity

84 % 58 days

Polym. Test. 26,

1049–1061 (2007)

55 °C, 70% humidity

~70 % 28 days

Polym. Degrad.
Stab. 120, 435–

442 (2015).

58 °C, 60% humidity

60 % 30 days

Polym. Eng. Sci.

54, 1325–1340 (2014)

Biodegradation of PLA-based materials in compost-like environment

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Findings of the review Next steps

Get involved!

Several obvious statements. A few considerations and suggestions. Some interesting discussion.

Source: ZeroWaste Scotland

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