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In the last decade thousands and thousands of compostable products have popped up all over the world. In this article you’ll learn if these products are causing more havoc than good at industrial facilities and why you can’t compost bioplastics at home.
A compostable1 product is not always biodegradable2 and a biodegradable product is not always compostable. For a plastic product to be labeled compostable in industrial facilities, 90% of the product must degrade to carbon dioxide within 180 days in a controlled composting facility (ASTM D6400).
There are a number of disconnects between claims and the reality of composting bioplastics and due to these disconnects, bioplastics are often not accepted at composting facilities but are thrown out during the sorting process.
The different requirements needed to fully compost each type of bioplastic.
Not every bioplastic degrades in the same environment and with the same microorganisms. Due to this, certain bioplastics may not fully degrade in certain industrial facilities since they could require different environments to break down fully. This is also why bioplastics will generally not biodegrade at home.
The majority of research on bioplastics does not typically address the toxicological impacts of certain materials used in bioplastics. Using materials of concern in bioplastic can introduce them into compost, then soil, and then potentially into the food we eat. One specific material of concern is poly/per-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) which are used as moisture/oil barriers (typically in food containers). Studies show they are harmful to both the environment and human health.
Due to the compostability requirements, only 10% of a product's carbon is returned to the soil as nutrients for plants. The lack of nutrients from bioplastics lowers the quality of the compost and in turn can make it less useful for agricultural purposes. Composting standards don’t asses particles less than 2mm and therefore likely miss any micro or nanoplastics that are a result of bioplastic or plastic degradation.
Another persistent issue with compostable and bioplastic products concerns their packaging. Bioplastic and fossil fuel-based plastic are indistinguishable from each other, making it very easy for consumers to misinterpret which product can be put in curbside composting, in the recycling bin or in the garbage.
Will they compost, yes? ECLIPSE™ enabled material will decompose in a composting environment. However, ECLIPSE™ enabled materials are not ASTM D6400 compliant, due to the nature of the bio-assimilation process. With ECLIPSE, the vast majority of carbon in bio-assimilated material is sequestered as biomass whereas ASTM D6400 requires the majority of carbon within the material to be turned into CO2.
Bio-assimilation is the final and conclusive stage of biodegradation where microorganisms can convert the material into CO2, water, and biomass. Our bio-assimilation process takes between 6-42 months depending on the type of product and the environmental conditions in which it ends up.
ECLIPSE bio-assimilation technology (patent pending) causes the complete molecular transformation of plastic. In other words, it breaks the carbon-to-carbon bonds within the polymer molecules, allowing microorganisms to feed on the available carbon. Once this process is initiated, it becomes a runaway freight train that can't be stopped, resulting in zero microplastics.
Here’s a step-by-step explanation of what happens during the bio-assimilation process.
All that is left is CO2, water, and biomass, with no microplastics left behind.
Yes you can recycle ECLIPSE™-enabled products (patent pending) ! First and foremost, ECLIPSE™ enabled products are designed to be recycled. The addition of ECLIPSE™ technology does not negatively impact the recyclability of the products or the recycle stream, provided the plastic has been collected and recycled before the bio-assimilation process has begun. If the material still has the mechanical characteristics of its original product, it can be recycled. The addition of ECLIPSE technology acts as a safety net in the event that the item evades the recycling system. It is not meant to encourage disposal in landfill.
Will they compost, yes? ECLIPSE™-enabled material will decompose in a composting environment. However, ECLIPSE™ enabled materials are not ASTM D6400 compliant due to the nature of the bio-assimilation process. With ECLIPSE, the vast majority of carbon in bio-assimilated material is sequestered as biomass whereas ASTM D6400 requires the majority of carbon within the material to be turned into CO2.
We don't just talk the talk, at Smart Plastic we prove everything we say with credible third-party testing. Below you will find the corresponding tests that apply to all our claims.
