University tested
The degradability claims of many products on the market are unsubstantiated and the confusion between ‘degradable’ and ‘biodegradable’ has been exploited by many manufacturers. Most degradable plastic bags, for instance, only break down into small particles of plastic and only then if exposed to the ultraviolet component of sunlight. If buried in landfill or floating in the ocean, as so many are, they do not degrade. The widespread community disappointment with existing ‘degradable’ products and packaging is based on the simple experiences of people who have noted that they simply do not break down adequately in a domestic or commercial waste treatment facilities.
Consequently, rigorous standards have been developed in the US, Europe, Japan and now in Australia specifying appropriate methods for testing those claims of biodegradability. Any product that meets these standards can claim justifiably to be environmentally friendly.
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