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November 15th 2007 -
Today more and more businesses and consumers are moving toward more environmentally friendly purchasing. There is a very increased awareness of the impact we have on our environment, and the development of new "Green" items is on the rise.
Living "Green" is no longer just an idea that a handful of American's subscribe to. We now are constantly seeing corporations, as well as local and state governments requiring certain sustainability standards in the products they purchase. From breakroom items to cleaning products, companies are expanding their purchases to include products that are considered to be "Eco-Friendly".
However to some of us, understanding what defines a product as a green item, is difficult to comprehend and the line between compostable and biodegradable is blurred.
Below you will find information on the differences between the two. We hope this will help to educate you so that you will be successful in defining this sometimes confusing topic to your customers as well.
Biodegradable waste
- Defined in many Municipal Waste Regulations, as waste that is capable
of undergoing anaerobic or aerobic decomposition, such as food and garden waste, paper and paperboard.
Composting
- Process that accelerates the decay of organic materials through anaerobic digestion.
Anaerobic degradation
- Degradation in the absence of air, as occurs in dry landfills. Anaerobic degradation is also called
biomethanisation.
Aerobic degradation
- Degradation in the presence of air. Composting is a way of aerobic degradation.
Biodegradable
- The American Society of Testing and Materials defines biodegradable as "Capable of undergoing
decomposition into carbon dioxide, methane, water, inorganic compounds, or biomass in which the
predominant mechanism is the enzymatic action of microorganisms”. For practical purposes, claims about
biodegradability of plastic product resins (Natureworks PLA, Mater-Bi, Cereplast etc.) should specify a
timeframe, which can be measured by standardized tests, in a specified period of time, reflecting available
disposal condition. These standardized tests can be found at ASTM 6400 and ASTM 6868 and use
natural fiber cellulose materials (Plant derived fibers such as Stalkmarket products) as the base material to
which testing results are compared to as the control standard.
Compostable
Compostable materials are capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site, to
the extent that they are not visually distinguishable and break down to carbon dioxide, water,
inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose).
See also 'compostable plastic'.
Compostable plastic
A polymer is 'compostable' when it is biodegradable under composting conditions. The polymer must meet the following criteria:
a) Break down under the action of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and algae).
b) Total mineralization is obtained (conversion into CO2, H2O, inorganic compounds and biomass under aerobic conditions).
c) The mineralization rate compatible with the composting process and consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose).
Composting
- The activity of breaking down plant and animal material using microorganisms under aerobic conditions. For
successful composting there must be sufficient water and air to allow the microorganisms to break down the
material, and the compost should reach andmaintain a warm temperature.
Decomposer organism
- An organism, usually a bacterium or a fungus, that breaks down organic material into simple chemical
components, thereby returning nutrients to the environment.
Degradable
- Degradable materials break down, by bacterial (biodegradable), thermal
(oxidative) or ultraviolet (photodegradable) action. When degradation is caused by biological
activity, especially by the enzymatic action of microorganisms, it is called 'biodegradation'.
Organic recycling
- Organic recycling is either the aerobic (ie composting) or anaerobic (biomethanisation) treatment of the
biodegradable materials under controlled conditions, using microorganisms to produce stabilized organic
residues, methane and carbon dioxide.
HUMUS -
A complex amorphous aggregate, formed during the microbial decomposition or alteration of plant and animal
residues and products synthesized by soil organisms; principal constituents are derivatives of lignins, proteins
and cellulose combined with inorganic soil constituents.
(Information courtesy of Stalk Market Products)
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