Hello and happy Friday!
Guess what: I have been officially invited to present at the Sustainable Plastics Packaging conference in Atlanta in December! EXCITING!!!! I will keep you posted on what topic I decide to present on…I’m thinking recycling…ha!
As it turns out, the topic of “biodegradable plastics” and/or “biodegradable plastic additives” is a very complex yet ambiguous one; I have been searching through numerous databases via my DePaul Alumni library card and have amassed a ton of research. As such, it will be a bit until I can produce a report that I feel is concise yet contains all the information one needs to know when considering biodegradable plastics and/or biodegradable plastic additives. These materials/additives are different, however, than the compostable resins we have already investigated, sampled, and offer to our customers because the supplier of such claims a completely different chemistry and touts different certification than that attributed to compostable resins.
For those of you who do not follow my blog regularly, the motivation for this research project came from one of Dordan’s customers who expressed interest in these “innovative additives,” which when added to a traditional fossil-based resin, renders it biodegradable IN ANY DISPOSAL ENVIRONMENT; be it in a landfill, by the side of the road, in a compost pile, basically anywhere! And, even better, these additives have no impact on the materials’ performance and do not influence the shelf life of the package! AND (I know the benefits seem ridiculous), it does not impact the recyclability of the material!
Seem too good to be true?
I will let you know what I uncover after Labor Day weekend as this blogger is going on vacation!!!
When I return, Dordan begins composting, gets serious about zero-waste, attends D200’s Environmental Task Force fall meeting, and educates itself about the science behind biodegradable plastics and more!!!
See you in September! I wish you all a stupendous fall time!