[SustainableTompkins] Fwd: [GreenYes] bio (?) plastic bag report

[Thomas Shelley]

Dear Friends--As many of us have heard from various sources, the so-called 
"bio-degradable" shopping bags are, for the most part, not really 
bio-degradable.  The following post to the Green Yes list has a lot of good 
information about the truth of "bio-gradable" bags.  Oh, joy....   Tom

>From: RicAnthony at aol.com
>Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 19:51:35 EDT
>Subject: [GreenYes] bio (?) plastic bag report
>To: zerowaste_sd at yahoogroups.com, crra_members at yahoogroups.com
>CC: GreenYes at googlegroups.com
>
>Brenda Platt at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance 
>(<mailto:bplatt at ilsr.org>bplatt at ilsr.org) writes":
>
>Hi all,
>
>...small part deleted....   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 
><http://www.european-bioplastics.org/index.php?id=158>EN 13432.  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
><mailto:bplatt at ilsr.org>bplatt at ilsr.org
>http://www.ilsr.org