Introduction to Sustainability: Bio-based, Biodegradable and Compostable Materials скачать в хорошем качестве

Introduction to Sustainability: Bio-based, Biodegradable and Compostable Materials

Bio-based, Biodegradable and Compostable Materials With so many buzz words being used to describe environmentally friendly packaging these days, it can be hard to differentiate the meanings between them. For example... What exactly is a bio-based, biodegradable or compostable material? Is a biodegradable material compostable? Can these terms be used interchangeably? Surely there must be some differences between them. Let’s take a deeper dive to find out… Bio-based Bio-based materials are made from renewable plant or animal feedstocks. These renewable materials are often used throughout the manufacturing process and at the very beginning of a package’s lifecycle. The most common examples of bio-based materials are fiber-based packaging that originates from trees, and other fiber sources such as wheat straw or bamboo. The bio-based nature of a product is often tested against the ASTM D6866 standard in order to quantify a material’s bio-based content. Biodegradable When a bio-degradable material reaches the end of it’s life cycle, bacteria and other living organisms will begin to break down the product. Gradually, the material will decompose in natural environments and will eventually be converted into components such as carbon dioxide and water. Many bio-degradable packages consist of bio-based materials, however, there are a few exceptions to this large generalization. It is always best to ask your material supplier directly to ensure the materials align with your sustainability initiatives. Compostable Compostable materials will quickly biodegrade in a home or industrial composting environment. In order for a product to be classified as compostable, the material must biodegrade naturally without leaving visual remnants or unacceptable levels of toxic residues. The ASTM D6400 and ASTM D6868 standards are often used to evaluate the compostable characteristics of plastic and fiber-based packaging materials. When considering the differences between biodegradable and compostable materials, it is good to keep in mind that while all compostable materials are bio-degradable, not all bio-degradable materials are compostable. SmartSolve water soluble materials are comprise of bio-based wood fibers that are sourced from FSC Certified forests. Our paper-based materials are non-toxic, bio-degradable and are also approved for both home and industrial composing. Visit our website or contact us directly to learn more about how our water soluble materials can help you go beyond recycling. https://www.smartsolve.com/news/intro... 888.788.5085 https://smartsolve.com © SmartSolve Industries