Standard Biodegradable Products

Our biodegradable bags are made from normal polythene (using oil-based polymers) and contain additives that act as catalysts to accelerate the degradation process. These bags are also referred to 'degradable' or 'oxo-degradable' bags.

With these bags, exposure to sunlight or heat triggers a two-step degradation process, in which the plastic breaks down through oxidation into small fragments, which then biodegrade into the natural elements of carbon dioxide, water, biomass and minerals.

These biodegradable bags will degrade and physically disintegrate in anything from a few weeks to 24 months depending on the physical conditions - oxygen, moisture, heat, mechanical stress and microbes - in the disposal environment. In a landfill site, the packaging will degrade in around 12 to 24 months.

This packaging has a shelf-life of one year from the date of manufacture, although the same additives that accelerate the degradation process also reduce this shelf life, so it is not advisable to keep our biodegradable packaging in a warm place or in direct sunlight.

These bags are not certified as 'compostable' and do not conform to the standard EN13432 (nor do leaves or paper). They can be composted, but they decompose very slowly.

For more information on how our biodegradable bags work, please visit the website of EPI Environmental Technologies at epi-global.com.

Advantages

• Cheaper than starch-based compostable packaging
• Stronger than starch-based compostable packaging
• Similar properties to regular polythene packaging prior to the onset of degradation
• Ideal for single-use or limited-life-cycle applications
• Food-safe - compliant with European Union (EU), US and Canadian standards
• Biodegradable product, as defined by ASTM International (ASTM D5988)
• No adverse toxicological effects or by-products
• Recyclable (pre- and post-consumer) and reusable until noticeable breakdown
• Degrades in a landfill environment, ultimately taking up less landfill space
• Endorsed by EPI's International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB)

Disadvantages

• Made using non-renewable fossil fuel
• Take longer to degrade than starch-based compostable packaging
• Shelf life of just 12 months - reduced if left in direct sunlight or heat
• Not certified as compostable according to EU standard EN13432. Can be composted but will take longer
• Degradation dependent on conditions of heat, light, moisture, mechanical stress and/or microbes

See also: Ultra-Green PolyBio Starch-Based Products