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OXO Biodegradable Plastics

06 August, 2011 03:55:00 Kacey Schneider

Plastic products are some of the most ominous environmental threats that exist, and the dangers they pose are numerous. Plastic bottles and bags are especially problematic because of the sheer volume with which they are used. Next time you’re outside, take a look around – how many discarded plastic products do you see floating around? This is particularly true at the beach. Between the plastic litter in the water and on the sand, it’s clear that plastic is a problem. Not only are these plastics an eyesore, but they are very harmful in terms of the environment. Firstly, plastic decomposes, or breaks down, incredibly slow (think anywhere from 20 to 1000 years!), which means the products just accumulates in the earth. Secondly, they are very damaging to the health of wildlife, both on land and in the water. If an animal ingests a plastic bag (or any plastic product, for that matter), the animal decomposes faster than the bag, which means that once the animal is gone, the plastic still exists, ready for another animal to eat. Plastic waste is also responsible for clogging drains and waterways in cities and towns. Overall, the more we use plastic and discard it, the more problems we cause for the environment around us. While recycling plastic is a step in the right direction, recycling plastic, unless done correctly, is not often useful or helpful at all. Plus, it’s a reactive action. Proactive measures are what will ultimately have a positive effect on this problem, and OXO Biodegradable plastic offers just that -- a plausible, proactive solution to the plastic dilemma. EPI Environmental Technologies Inc. is the brains behind the technology and processes that can create OXO Biodegradable plastics. EPI develops, manufactures, distributes and sells chemical additives, which mainly consist of proprietary oxo-biodegradable plastic additives called Totally Degradable Plastic Additives (TDPA), to manufacturers of finished plastic products in the packaging, agricultural and composting industries. These manufacturers then use these additives and incorporate them into their own plastic products. The formulations in the OXO Biodegradable products catalyze, or accelerate, the reactions necessary for plastics to decompose in the environment, so that the decomposition time is decreased to only a few weeks or up to one to two years, depending on the disposal environment. Not only is this environmentally beneficial, but the shelf-life of the product is also not compromised. The EPI website explains it in the following words: “TDPA is added in typically small quantities of 2 to 3% to commodity resins (polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene) during the manufacture of finished plastic products, using standard manufacturing equipment and processes. It causes the plastic to degrade at a controlled rate when the plastic is exposed to photo (sunlight), thermal (heat) and/or mechanical stress and, in the case of polyethylene products (such as grocery, shopping and garbage bags), TDPA causes the plastic to ultimately biodegrade. Plastic incorporating TDPA® is cost-competitive. It is virtually indistinguishable in appearance and performance from traditional non-degradable plastics until degradation of the product is triggered in accordance with end-user requirements (following its “shelf” or “service” life).” However, OXO products cannot be recycled with other plastics. It is also important to note that OXO products also cannot decompose quickly in a landfill environment. Oxygen and ultra-violet rays are necessary in the OXO degradation formulations, and there is not sufficient oxygen in landfills for the products to decompose at a fast rate. Nonetheless, the overall benefit of OXO Biodegradable products, as long as they are disposed of correctly, is big. While OXO Biodegradable plastics offer a solution to the plastic pollution dilemma, remember – the best idea is to use minimal plastic products in general. Take a cloth bag to go grocery shopping; use a re-usable water bottle. The less waste we all create anyways, the better off the environment will be. Period.