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What ingredients do you use to make degradable bags?
Are oxo-biodegradable plastic bags recyclable?
What happens to oxo-biodegradable plastic in a landfill?
Do oxo-biodegradable plastic bags contain cornstarch?
Degradable plastic using cornstarch based additives possess many undesirable properties. Specifically, plastic incorporating cornstarch based additives cannot be recycled and contaminate the recycling process. They may also emit methane when degrading. Oxo-biodegradable plastics can be recycled along with regular plastic and do not emit methane.
Do oxo-biodegradable plastic bags feel different?
Are oxo-biodegradable bags as durable as regular plastic?
What is the shelf life for your degradable plastic bags?
Will oxo-biodegradation emit methane?
Why does it take 2 years for the bags to degrade?
We believe this is an optimal situation. Oxo-biogradable plastic bags degrade fastest in the exact situation we want them to: when they become litter.
Do you have any scientific literature to support your claims?
Oxo-biodegradable plastic is made by blending a pro-degradent additive into the plastic during the extrusion process. The additive causes the molecular structure of plastic to break down when exposed to heat or sunlight. The plastic will eventually be in a state where it can be digested by microorganisms. At this point, the plastic will degrade at a faster rate until it has fully degraded into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic, is often referred to as “degradable” plastic, since it does not require a biological process to degrade. Microorganisms will speed up the degradation process, but they’re not required. This gives oxo-biodegradation a distinct advantage over prior methods for degrading plastic.
The degradation time varies depending on the amount of exposure to degradation promoters (sunlight, heat, and microorganisms). This is an optimal situation for consumers. Oxo-biodegradable plastic degrades quickest in the exact situation we want it to: when it becomes litter. If the plastic is used properly it will last many years, but once it becomes litter it could degrade in under 12 months.
In a landfill oxo-biodegradable plastic will degrade quickly if oxygen is available to assist the degradation process. However, unlike other types of degradable plastic, oxo-biodegradable plastic will not release methane as it degrades. This is another advantage over prior forms of biodegradable plastic.