Issue 06/2018

From Science & Research
At a mesophilic temperature of 25 ºC , the materials did not
achieve degradation in any of the environments studied.
In this study, the ecotoxicological effects were evaluated in a
fast-growing plant species (Ray Grass) from the media where
disintegration had occurred. None of the media in which the
polymeric material had disintegrated produced a toxic effect
on the species in question and the vegetal biomass reached a
germination and growth rate of over 90 % with respect to the
reference substrate.
A limitation in the use of bioplastics is the existing confusion
about the behaviour of materials in different conditions. An
industrially compostable material is not necessarily able to
biodegrade under other temperature conditions or in other
environmental conditions. Currently, there are international
schemes for the certification of biodegradable materials in
different environments that may cause confusion in this sector.
These schemes guarantee to customers the biodegradability
of a material in certain conditions according to international
standards.
In order to enable the correct communication of
biodegradable polymers through product ecolabelling, there
are different standards of biodegradation determination
in different environments (compost, soil, etc.), which have
been used to create certification schemes that specify the
requirements to be met in order to attain the corresponding
certificate and product labelling.
Manufacturers and suppliers in Europe have relied on
the neutral and independent certifications by DIN CERTCO
and TÜV Austria for many years. Certifications from these
agencies send a message to consumers about the quality
of the products and can serve as guidance when making
purchasing decisions.
These independent bodies are able to specify the correct
biodegradation environment for final products thanks to
verification marks.
The most common ecolabel assigned is that of compostability
in industrial facilities (at a temperature of approximately 60 ºC).
The aforementioned bodies grant their own compostability
ecolabels together with European Bioplastics association’s
Seedling compostability mark. Both marks, can be used
individually, alternatively or simultaneously, and document the
biodegradability, among other aspects, of a final product or
material in industrial composting facilities.
A material that is compostable in industrial composting
facilities will not necessarily compost in home composting
conditions, where, among other things, the temperature
is considerably lower (approximately 25 ºC). Different certificates
are obtainable for different conditions and
environments: biodegradable materials and products can
be certified as degradable in soil, saltwater or fresh water.
Any supplier who invests in adding this functionality to their
product or packaging should have the opportunity to have
this information verified according to international standards,
obviously without encouraging consumers to litter.
Biodegradability in the soil offers huge benefits for
agricultural and horticultural products, as they can be left
to break down in situ after being used. In 2018, standard
EN 17033 [1] was developed, which outlines the requirements
to be met by agricultural mulch films, an application in which
biodegradability in soil entails the end of life of materials, thus
reducing soil contamination due to mismanagement on the
part of humans.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, based in Spain,
is now in the process of becoming a laboratory recognized by
TÜV Austria, after which it will support the manufacturers in
the verification process required for the different ecolabels,
evaluating the requirements necessary to fulfil each point
of the certification schemes according to international
regulations.
Furthermore, as a quality aspect, Aimplas has a testing
laboratory accredited by ENAC with accreditation no 56/LE156
in conformity with the EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard. Moreover,
Aimplas has the highest number of ENAC accreditations for
plastics according to the ISO 17025 standard at national level.
ENAC accreditations are recognized in over 50 countries,
since it is a signatory of the Mutual Recognition Agreements
arranged at an international level among accreditation bodies
all over the world. These agreements include practically the
whole of the EU, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Australia,
among others.
[1] EN 17033: 2018. Plastics - Biodegradable mulch films for use in agriculture
and horticulture - Requirements and test methods.
www.aimplas.es
Figure 4. AIMPLAS’ equipment for simulation of
conditions of biodegradation or disintegration
tests.
bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/18] Vol. 13 31