Research on the impact of oxobio- and biodegradable plastics on the environment

Abstract

On the market of plastics there are more and more plastics described as biodegradable, oxobiodegradable, which are to be completely safe for the environment, have to decompose much faster than conventional plastics, in natural conditions, e.g. composting process. The information provided by the makers of such materials raises many doubts and controversies related to the real decomposition of the material and its environmental safety. The aim of this study was to present the most important information on biodegradable and oxobiodegradable plastics, used as packaging for goods, food and waste bags, determining the possibility of decomposition of these materials and identifying problems that arise at various stages of their life cycle. The collected information confirms the necessity to modify the regulations and standards for biodegradable and oxobiodegradable plastics, in order to eliminate from the market products that may determine a serious threat to the environment and animal health and life. The main problem is the decomposition of plastics under different environmental conditions, which are different than those found during laboratory tests.

Keywords

• biodegradation
• biodegradable plastics
• oxobiodegradable plastics
• package
• environment pollution