Conventional plastics, as anyone who has seen the Patch can tell you, take an enormous amount of time to biodegrade. And short of wishing for a society in which we don't use plastic[plastic?:Plastic sample cutting machine]––a reality most would agree is still quite distant––we need a plastic that can still do all the things that conventional plastics can do, but that actually breaks down relatively quickly, without producing any toxic side effects.
Enter oxo-biodegradable plastic. Oxo-biodegradable plastic is made like regular plastic, except with the addition of a small amount of what's called a 'pro-degradant' formulation. This formulation helps to break down the polymer's molecular chain, which means that at the end of the product's life, it biodegrades relatively quickly.
By altering the amount of pro-degradant added during manufacturing, companies can alter how long a plastic will last before it will degrade (a reusable plastic shopping bag[bag?:bag paper pattern sample cutting machine], for instance, might be programmed to last longer than a bag designed to pick up dog poo).
The Canadian-designed EcoBio Oxo-Biodegradable Trash Bag, for instance, 'are engineered to degrade and totally fragment in 90 to 120 days and 60% mineralize/biodegrade in a further 12 to 24 months after disposal.'
So is it safe? The company that manufactures the bag, Ecosafe, says that the additives used to help their bags degrade have been tested for ecotoxicity, all components in the bag comply with regulations relative to direct food contact, and the bags contain no harmful residues that might accumulate in the soil.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics are now being employed in a number of different products worldwide, including water bottles, plastic satchels and shrink and pallet[pallet?:pallet] wrap. While more research is needed to confirm its safety over the long term, the move toward biodegradable plastics is definitely a move in the right direction.
