Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
GT3 tire began, using Biotred technology that uses biofillers made of Mater-Bi
TM
. Production
of Mater-Bi
TM
diapers, by the Swedish company Naty, began in 1999, and in 2000, the
Olympics in Sydney, Australia used catering products and compost bags made of Mater-Bi
TM
(www.materbi.com).
Mater-Bi
TM
is processed and distributed by numerous companies worldwide, including,
in addition to those named above, NAT-UR in California, which also distributes
NatureWorks PLA-based materials (www.nat-ur.com), as well as PolarGruppen and Bio-Bag
Canada, which manufactures biodegradable, compostable bags and packaging from Mater-
Bi
TM
(www.polargruppen.com; www.biobag.ca) that are largely ASTM, DIN CERTCO, and
EK certified.
4.2. Ecoflex
®
In 1998, the German company BASF introduced a family of biodegradable aliphatic-
aromatic copolyesters, including formulations consisting of thermoplastic starch, under the
brand name Ecoflex
®
. Ecoflex
®
is recommended for trash bags and disposable packaging, as
well as for starch composites, since it degrades completely in compost within just a few
weeks. Homopolymeric Ecoflex®, lacking the starch component, has been developed
specifically for flexible film applications, such as those commonly filled by polyethylene, and
is now established as one of the first completely biodegradable flexible films. Like
polyethylene, Ecoflex® is waterproof, tear resistant, flexible, fusible, and imprintable, and
appears to have high processing flexibility (http://www2.basf.de/basf2/html/plastics/
englisch/pages/biokstoff/ecoflex.htm). In 2005, BASF commercialized blends of Ecoflex
®
with PLA under the tradename Ecovio
®
.
4.3 PPM
PPM was developed by Biosphere Industries from cellulose-reinforced starch to meet
rigid packaging needs and has two primary grades, PPM 100 and PPM200, which are
currently used primarily in food-service items and general packaging. PPM 100 biodegrades
98 percent in 28 days (100 percent in less than 40 days) and can resist warm-water extended
periods. For greater heat and moisture resistance, the higher-grade PPM200 is used; this
material requires more than 40 days for complete compostability but safely withstands hot
liquids for extended periods. In January 2005, PPM 100 received Biodegradable Products
Institute certification, demonstrating that the material meets the ASTM D6868 specifications
and will biodegrade swiftly and safely during municipal, commercial, or household
composting (www.biospherecorp.com).
4.4. Cellulose Films
Innovia Films, Inc. was formed in 2004 and is one of the producers of cellulose-based
packaging films. The variety of products offered includes nitrocellulose-coated films,
laminating films, films for adhesive tape, photographic masking, and heat-sealable films for
microwave
and
oven
applications
(http://www.innoviafilms.com/product/summary
_datasheets.htm).
