Today, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection, degradable plastic products are vigorously promoted. Many people do not understand what degradable means, especially biodegradable stretch film. Here, the stretch film manufacturer Sinyar packing film will explain it to you.
Some people think that can use recycled materials, can be recycled, is degradable. In fact, this is not right. PVC (polyvinyl chloride, toxic and difficult to degrade, and the use of film products industry is prohibited internationally) can also be recycled, but it has also become the culprit of “white pollution”, the third largest pollution in the world.
In fact, the biodegradable stretch film is more divided from the perspective of environmental protection, so the stretch film is divided into biodegradable stretch film and non-degradable stretch film.
Now in the market, very few people will recycle the used stretch film. Burying these plastic films underground will destroy the soil structure, and incineration will cause pollution to the environment. With the continuous growth of the domestic packaging industry, the use of packaging film Treatment is no longer an issue that can be ignored. The stretch films sold by most manufacturers on the market are basically non-degradable stretch films.
Biodegradable stretch film has played a positive role in improving the environment. Because it can meet people’s normal needs without polluting the land and air, it has become a major trend in the development of the stretch film.
What is biodegradable plastic?
Degradable plastics refer to plastics whose various properties of products can meet application requirements, whose properties are unchanged in the storage period, and which can be degraded into environmentally friendly substances under natural environmental conditions after use.
| Classification:
1. According to the degradation behavior
- Fully biodegradable plastic
- Destructive biodegradable plastics
2. Depending on whether it’s natural or not
- Natural biodegradable plastics
- Synthetic degradable plastics
| Fully biodegradable plastic
It is mainly made of natural macromolecules (such as starch, and chitosan) or agricultural and sideline products. They can be decomposed by microorganisms and finally degraded into water, carbon dioxide, and a small number of inorganic salts. It can solve the current environmental pollution problem from the root.
| Natural biodegradable plastics
Starch-based biodegradable plastics, fruit puree, and protein-based biodegradable materials are the main products.
| Destructive biodegradable plastics
It mainly includes starch-modified (or filled) PE, PP, PVC and so on. It can only be decomposed by microorganisms to form stable small molecule products.
| Synthetic degradable plastics
PLA; PBS; PHA; PBAT
Note: Distinguish degradable、 biodegradable and copostable
Many degradable shretch film merchants will confuse these three concepts, although the keyword
is written as “biodegradable”, what is it exactly, it is not easy to say.
Note: Distinguish degradable 、biodegradable and compostable
Degradable plastics Include plastics that can be degraded by physical and biological factors (light, heat, or microorganisms). Most of the products on the market are just ordinary plastics (such as PE) with biodegradable fillings.
There are many oxygen-degradable plastic stretch films on the market, which is low in price but not good for the environment and health – such plastics will only disintegrate into plastic fragments, and will not decompose and disappear in a certain period of time.
Biodegradable plastic: refers to a plastic that degrades under conditions such as soil in nature, and specific conditions such as composting conditions, caused by the action of microorganisms present in nature, and eventually completely degraded into carbon dioxide or/and methane, mineralized inorganic salts and water.
Biodegradable materials can not form a natural closed loop in nature. Only to meet certain environmental conditions can be completely degraded, but this degradation time will be uncertain. Therefore, the degradation ability of this biodegradable plastic mainly depends on the developer’s scientific research technology.
Compostable plastics: In order to better define degradable, relevant institutions in Western countries have introduced compostable standards (such as the ASTM6400 standard in the United States). As long as the product meets the standard and passes the institutional test, a certificate can be obtained to prove that the product is “compostable”, which is divided into household composting and industrial composting according to different composting conditions. That is to say, compostable plastics are to meet certain composting conditions.
At present, 83% of the disposable biodegradable plastic products on the market are compostable plastics, which need to be degraded under industrial composting conditions.
Why do we need biodegradable plastic?
We can’t escape from plastics, because it’s…
• Light
• Malleable
• Versatile
Nondegradable plastic harmful
• Petroleum resources are limited
• White pollution
• Endangers human health
Policy support
• Plastic Restriction Order
• Plastic ban
What is Sinyar’s biodegradable stretch film solution?
Generally, we think the best way to handle used stretch film is to recycle it, but the current capacity to recycle all plastic waste is unreachable, so here comes the biodegradable stretch film!
Biodegradable stretch film is designed to function the same as other high-performance films with one key difference–after its engineered useful life is over, it will begin a process of bio-assimilation whereby it breaks down to base components and becomes a food source for micro-organisms, leaving no microplastics or toxins behind.
1. PBAT biodegradable stretch film
PBAT with the characteristics of PBA and PBT, has good mechanical properties, high ductility, and excellent biodegradability. It is a fully biodegradable plastic with excellent performance. As an important petroleum-based biodegradable plastic, PBAT is a hot topic in the current industry due to its convenient source of raw materials and low production cost.
Advantage:
- The processing performance of PBAT is similar to that of LDPE. PBAT film is good at elasticity, waterproof properties and tears resistance.
- It is one of the few compostable polymers. Its biodegradation function mainly depends on its chemical structure and degradation environment.
strength is more than 20MPa, suitable for food
contact.
Material | Comparison of degradation modes and rate |
PLA | Industrial composting conditions (above 5O℃, aerobic flora) : the degradation rate of 84% in 58 days Anaerobic composting conditions (58℃, 60% humidity) : 30 days degradation rate 60% |
PBAT | Moisture sufficient soil conditions: 5 months can be completely degraded Simulated seawater conditions (25℃ ±3℃): about 30-60 days can be completely degraded |
Starch-based plastic | Anaerobic composting conditions (58℃): degradation rate of 85% in 90 days In soil environment (35℃): 60 days degradation rate of 35% |
It is shown that PBAT degradable stretch film can be completely degraded under certain composting conditions.
Composting conditions are easy to achieve in foreign countries, but not in China at present.
• In terms of infrastructure construction, there are almost no industrial composting plants in China.
• In terms of concept, the environmental awareness of domestic residents is relatively weak.
• In terms of cost, the cost of raw materials is slightly higher than those of traditional plastics.
2. Chitosan biodegradable stretch film
Different from PBAT biodegradable stretch film, chitosan biodegradable stretch film can achieve complete degradation in the natural environment, without manual intervention. That is to say, it only needs sunlight, air, humidity, microorganisms and other elements of nature, without any artificial intervention and composting, it can achieve full biodegradation.
Degradation principle 1: natural transformation (pre-degradation)
Degradation Principle 2: Biodegradation (Post-Degradation)
1. Biodegradation auxiliaries will attract more microorganisms to gather and colonize
2. After the fusion of degradation auxiliaries and PE, the natural transformation increases the specific surface area of the material, making degradation efficiency higher.
3. The combination of chitosan and other biodegradation auxiliaries will stimulate microbial reproduction and secretion of degradation enzymes to achieve complete degradation in the natural environment.
Under natural conditions: In about two months, the molecular weight of PE decreased by about 60% to 80%.
• The substrate is polyolefin, and its toughness, elasticity and tensile strength are similar to those of ordinary stretch film
• It has a nourishing effect on the soil and makes it more fertile
• Degradation of more than 90% in 180 day
Remarkably, it only degrades in soil. So it can effectively extend the storage time.
Natural fully biodegradation, gets rid of ” microplastic binding “
Do something meaningful to the planet and to ourselves!