Oxo Degradable Plastics

The coalition claims it contains additives meant to accelerate the fragmentation of plastics into microplastics.

Oxo degradable plastics.

Epi is the world leader and pioneer of oxo biodegradable plastic technology. Spain is the second country in europe to take concrete actions to limit the harmful impacts of oxo degradable plastics. The european commission has recommended eu wide measures be taken against so called oxo degradable plastics. Oxo degradable plastics will not break down at all or will break down extremely slowly in environments with relatively low concentrations of oxygen such as in marine environments if covered by soil or buried in a compost bin.

The oxo biodegradable plastics federation obpf is an industry wide global collaboration group to promote the appropriate use of oxo biodegradable products through participation in the development of standards regulations material guides and positive community interaction. In a report published earlier this month the commission said that a process to restrict the use of oxo plastics in the eu will be started. Accordingly epi recommends all manufacturers and companies selling or planning to sell products with tdpa in the eu to abide with the eu s. The directive foresees a ban on all products made of oxo degradable plastic from july 2021.

The normal manufacturing of plastics emits about 4 tons of greenhouse emissions. Oxo degradable plastics are a type of degradable plastic designed to fragment in the presence of oxygen. By using oxo biodegradable plastic we reduce the amount of carbon emissions during the process of manufacturing bioplastics. The resulting microplastics are left in the environment indefinitely until they eventually fully break down.

The oxo degradable sector holds a different view. Even if the small pieces are microscopic the plastic still exists and can easily enter the environment. The exact date of such ban will depend on the applicable legislation passed by each eu member state. Oxo degradable plastics quickly fragment into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics but don t break down at the molecular or polymer level like biodegradable and compostable plastics.

Because oxo degradable plastics are only degradable not biodegradable or certified compostable after the bio additives have broken down traditional plastics remain. Oxo degradable plastic including plastic carrier bags may degrade quicker in the open environment than conventional plastic. What happens when oxo degradable plastics enter the environment. However according to a report from the european commission there is no evidence that oxo degradable plastic will subsequently fully biodegrade in a reasonable time in the open environment on landfills or in the.