Biodegradable Plastic

Environment Australia
Biodegradable Plastics – Developments and Environmental Impacts

OCTOBER, 2002

Prepared in association with ExcelPlas Australia
Ref: 3111-01

NOLAN-ITU Pty Ltd

ACN 067 785 853

ABN 23 359 240 890

P.O. Box 393 Level 1, 625 High St, East Kew Victoria 3102 Telephone: [phone] Facsimile: [phone]

NOLAN-ITU PTY LTD
ACN 067 785 853 ABN 23 359 240 890

Melbourne PO Box 393 Level 1, 625 High Street East Kew VIC 3102 Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Copyright © Environment Australia 2002

CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 2 INTRODUCTION TO BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS ........................................1 BIODEGRADABLE STARCH-BASED POLYMERS ..........................................3
2.1 Thermoplastic Starch Products 2.2 Starch Synthetic Aliphatic Polyester Blends 2.3 Starch and PBS/PBSA Polyester Blends 2.4 Starch-PVOH Blends 3 4 5 6

3

BIODEGRADABLE POLYESTERS ....................................................................7
3.1 PHA (Naturally Produced) Polyesters 3.2 PHBH (Naturally Produced) Polyesters 3.3 PLA (Renewable Resource) Polyesters 3.4 PCL (Synthetic Aliphatic) Polyesters 3.5 PBS (Synthetic Aliphatic) Polyesters 3.6 AAC Copolyesters 3.7 Modified PET 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

4

OTHER DEGRADABLE POLYMERS...............................................................15
4.1 Water Soluble Polymers 4.2 Photo-biodegradable Plastics 4.3 Controlled Degradation Additive Masterbatches 15 16 17

5

EMERGING APPLICATION AREAS IN AUSTRALIA ......................................19
5.1 Coated Paper 5.2 Agricultural Mulch Film 5.3 Shopping Bags 5.4 Food Waste Film and Bags 5.5 Consumer Packaging Materials 5.6 Landfill Cover Film 5.7 Other Applications 19 20 20 20 21 21 21

6

STANDARDS AND TEST METHODS...............................................................22
6.1 Biodegradation Standards and Tests 6.2 Compost Toxicity Tests 6.3 Difference Between Standards for Biodegradation 6.4

References: Environment Australia Biodegradable Plastics – Developments and Environmental Impacts Ratto, J.A.; Stenhouse, P.J.; Auerbach, M.; Mitchell, J.; Farrell, R.(1999)