[GreenYes] bio (?) plastic bag report

[RicAnthony@no.address]

Brenda Platt at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (_bplatt@no.address 
(mailto:bplatt@no.address) ) 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@no.address) 
_http://www.ilsr.org_ (http://www.ilsr.org/) 












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