[GreenYes] RE: [CRRA] bio (?) plastic bag report Comment

["Richard Ludt" <richard@no.address>]

I learned more from that one e-mail than I have learned in the last
year. Thank you very much.

 

Richard A. Ludt

Waste Management Administrator/LEED V.2 AP

Interior Removal Specialist, Inc.

9309 Rayo Ave, 

South Gate, CA 90280

Phone: (323) 357-6900

Fax: (323) 357-9400

http://www.irsdemo.com

 

Brenda Platt at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (_bplatt@no.address
<mailto:_bplatt%40ilsr.org> _ 
(mailto:bplatt@no.address <mailto:bplatt%40ilsr.org> ) ) in part writes":

Hi all, 

Is anyone looking at the impact that this will have in encouraging 
biodegradable plastic bags? I have been focusing most of my time the
last year on 
bioplastic issues and I do not support the use of biodegradable plastic
bags for 
shopping bags, only for collecting organics destined for composting 
facilities. Biodegradable bags are not even close to being 100%
biobased. Further, 
all the biodegradable bags I know of are only biodegradable in
commercially 
operated compost facilities, not for instance, in the marine
environment.

The per bag fee being proposed should apply to ALL single-use shopping
bags 
in order to promote reusable bags. Let's not encourage single-use 
biodegradable plastic bags. BTW, the biodegradable petro-based
co-polyester resin 
frequently used in these bags is made by the big German chemical giant,
BASF. 
Let's be careful about what we are supporting. Also, coming down the
pike is 
biodegradable PVC products. Just because a bag is biodegradable does not
mean 
it is environmentally sound.

Do we care about the impact on recycling film plastics? I'd be
interested 
in a dialogue specifically on this issue. Biodegradable bags will become
a 
contaminant in film recycling. I'm no fan of petro-plastics and petro
bags. 
But I think this is a concern from a recycling perspective.
While I am still in the process of researching biodegradable bags,
here's 
some preliminary findings by bag company. 
First, a definition of biodegradability I wrote: 
Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can decompose into carbon
dioxide, 
methane, water, inorganic compounds, or biomass via microbial
assimilation 
(the enzymatic action of microorganism). To be considered biodegradable,
this 
decomposition has to be measured by standardized tests, and take place 
within a specified period time, which vary according to the "disposal"
method 
chosen. The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created

definitions on what constitutes biodegradability in various disposal
environments. 
Plastics that meet ASTM D6400, for instance, can be certified as 
biodegradable and compostable in commercial composting facilities. In
Europe the 
equivalent standardized test criteria is _EN 13432_ 
(http://www.european-bioplastics.org/index.php?id=158) . In the US,
there is a biodegradability standard 
for soil (ASTM D5988), a biodegradability test standard for marine and
fresh 
water (ASTM D6692 and D6691), one for wastewater treatment facilities
(ASTM 
D5271), and one for anaerobic digestion (ASTM D 5511). Other countries
have 
similar standards and certifications. Belgium is unique in offering "The
OK 
Compost" mark, which guarantees that the product can be composted in
home 
composting systems. While many bioplastics are indeed certifiable as
compostable 
in commercial compost facilities, not all can be home composted and not
all 
are biodegradable in the marine environment. Furthermore, a number of 
petrochemical-based polymers are certified biodegradable and
compostable. 
Biodegradability is a directly linked to the chemical structure, not to
the origin of 
the raw materials. 
Eco Film: No biobased content at all. 
Eco Works: Can contain between 5-70% corn based resin (5-70% biobased 
content, most collection bags are on the low end) 
Mater-bi (BioBag): Blend of petro-derived polyester and starch (the
starch 
may or may not be from corn and the biobased content is around 20-30%, 
remaining 70-80% is petro-derived) 
Cereplast: Uses a blend of petroleum-based polyester, possibly some
small 
PLA amounts and possibly other materials. Not sure about biobasd
content, but 
one industry rep (not with Cereplast) told me that he believes their
bags are "
more than likely 70-100% petroleum derived." [Cereplast also uses 
nanocomposites, which I have a huge problem with. Any community embraces
the 
precautionary principle should not be promoting products with
nanoparticles.] 
Bio-Tuf/Heritage: Blend of polyester and calcium carbonate filler. Don't

believe they claim any biobased content at all. Petro-derived polyester
is 
likely 85% of the formulation, but don't know precise. 
Mater-bi (BioSak); Blend of polyester and corn-based starch. They're in 
the same range of biobased content (20-30% biobased. 70-80%
petro-derived). 
All of the above bags are certified compostable, but none are 
petroleum-free. Nearly all are a vast majority petroleum-derived
content. 
Best, 
Brenda 

Brenda Platt
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
927 15th Street, NW, 4th Fl
Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202-898-1610 ext. 230
fax: 202-898-1612
_bplatt@no.address <mailto:_bplatt%40ilsr.org> _ (mailto:bplatt@no.address
<mailto:bplatt%40ilsr.org> ) 
_http://www.ilsr.org_ (http://www.ilsr.org/) 

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