Evaluation of biodegradability of plastics bags in composting conditions

• Authors: Magdalena Vaverková , Dana Adamcová , Jana Kotovicová , František Toman
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Biodegradation of plastics bags advertised as 100%-degradable or certified as compostable was tested in composting conditions. Samples were placed into frames and inserted into one clamp within the compost pile to investigate the biodegradation. The plastics bags were obtained from chain stores in the Czech Republic and Poland. The shopping bags were made of HDPE with the TDPA additive (sample 2), PP with an addition of pro-oxidants (d2w) (samples 1, 3) and materials certified as compostable (starch, polycaprolactone) (samples 4, 5, 6, 7). Control sample (cellulose filtering paper, sample 8) was to check the potential of biological decomposition in the tested environment. At the end of the 12-week experimental period it was found that the polyethylene samples with the additive (samples 1, 2, 3) had not been decomposed, their colour had not changed and that no degradation neither physical changes had occurred (did not biodegrade). Samples certified as compostable (samples 4, 5, 6, 7) were decomposed. The results at the municipal compost facility demonstrate that the compostable plastics biodegrade and polyethylene samples with the additive did not biodegrade in compost.

PL

Badano biodegradację plastikowych toreb reklamowych ulegających w 100% rozkładowi oraz certyfikowanych jako kompostowalne w warunkach kompostowania. W celu oceny biodegradacji próbki zostały umieszczone w ramach, a następnie w materiale przeznaczonym do kompostowania. Plastikowe torby są dostępne w sieci sklepów w Czechach, jak również w Polsce. Badaniu poddano osiem próbek. Jedną z nich była jednorazowa torba wykonana z folii HDPE z dodatkiem TDPA (próbka 2). Kolejne torby były wykonane z polietylenu z dodatkiem oxo-biodegradacji d2w (próbki 1, 3). Cztery próbki posiadały certyfikat kompostowalności (próbki 4, 5, 6, 7). Próbka ósma była próbką kontrolną (celulozowy papier filtracyjny, próbka 8), która miała na celu sprawdzenie potencjału biologicznego rozkładu badanego środowiska. Test został przeprowadzony w warunkach kompostowni przemysłowej. Pod koniec 13-tygodniowego okresu doświadczalnego stwierdzono, że próbki z polietylenu (próbki 1, 2, 3) nie uległy rozkładowi, ich barwa się nie zmieniła oraz że nie ma zmian fizycznych potwierdzających degradację. Próbki posiadające certyfikat kompostowalności (próbki 4, 5, 6, 7) uległy rozkładowi w różnym stopniu. Z przeprowadzonego doświadczenia wynika, że kompostowalne torby uległy rozkładowi, a torby wykonane z polietylenu z dodatkiem TDPA oraz d2w nie ulegają rozkładowi w kompoście.

Keywords

EN

biodegradation; 100%-degradable bags; compostable bags; composting; real conditions

PL

degradacja; biodegradacja; kompostowanie; kontrolowane warunki kompostowania

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 45-57

Dates

published

1 - 3 - 2014

online

9 - 4 - 2014

Contributors

author

Magdalena Vaverková

• Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic, phone [phone]

author

Dana Adamcová

• Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic, phone [phone]

author

Jana Kotovicová

• Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic, phone [phone]

author

František Toman

• Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Agronomy, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic, phone [phone]

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Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/eces-2014-0004