Positive news from the US Environmental Protection Agency on pro-oxidants in plastic
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an important Report into pro-oxidant masterbatches which in its own words “could significantly reduce the persistence of plastic pollution without creating undesired by-products.”
The EPA report “Accelerating Polymer Degradation using Pro-oxidants” says: “Single use plastics that are commonly used for packaging and service ware, such as bottles, bags, straws, and wrappers result in land and marine pollution as they break down into microplastics. Blending plastics with pro-oxidants could be a promising solution, as they accelerate photo-oxidation to obtain degradable materials whose final ecological and physical footprint are much smaller.”
“In this study, two pro-oxidants, iron stearate (FeSt3) and cobalt stearate (CoSt2), were melt-blended with polypropylene (PP) at concentrations of 1 and 2 wt%. Plates of neat and pro-oxidant filled PP were kept in an accelerated weathering chamber that simulates damaging effects of long-term outdoor exposure. Samples were taken out from the test chamber and their properties were measured at selected time interval as they undergo photochemical degradation.”
“Physical, thermal, and chemical properties of pristine and pro-oxidant filled samples were measured, using TGA, differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transfer IR spectroscopy (FTIR). Within 300 h of aging in the chamber, PP with pro-oxidants were embrittled, cracked and broken into pieces. After 500 h of aging plastics plates showed significant reduction in melting and re-crystallization points – indicating polymer-chain breaking, rapid depolymerization.”
“Uv-Vis and GC-mass spectroscopic analysis of wash-water samples indicated water soluble degradation products are potently biodegradable and can be assimilated by microorganisms. The study offers a successful approach where a benign filler could significantly reduce the persistence of plastic pollution without creating undesired by-products.”
Reducing plastic pollution
Symphony Environmental have been saying consistently that the only way to prevent plastic which has entered the open environment from accumulating there for decades is to make it biodegradable, using d2w technology at little or no extra cost.
Unlike the type of plastic marketed as compostable, it does not need special conditions, and will degrade and biodegrade anywhere on the planet in the presence of oxygen and bacteria. This latest news from the US confirms yet again that our d2w technology is at the forefront of the sustainable plastics revolution.
But don’t just take our word for it – read more below:
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_Report.cfm?dirEntryId=353810&Lab=CESER