WHAT BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE REALLY MEAN
There are an awful lot of product claims being made with regard to biodegradable, compostable, and degradable properties. It is fairly easy to become confused on exactly what is fact and what is spin. The first step is to define what their words actually mean. There are of course definitions that can be looked at and some even have definitions written by ASTM (American Standards for Testing Materials). What is most important is what the average consumer thinks these terms mean. The American Chemistry Council did a study on this topic.
They concluded that most people feel a product is biodegradable if it is able to break down naturally in 1 year or less and they leave nothing behind, or completely disappear. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has a very similar view on a biodegradable definition. They state "...the materials should break down in a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal."
FACTS ON BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS
There are some foamed polystyrene products on the market that are claiming that they will biodegrade in a landfill environment. Some even offer a certificate signed by a company official, certifying the product will biodegrade in a landfill. According to the FTC however, in landfills, materials degrade very slowly, if at all. This is because modern landfills are designed, according to law, to keep out sunlight, air, and moisture. This helps prevent pollutants from the garbage from getting into the air and drinking water and slows the decomposition of the trash.
FACTS ON COMPOSTABLE PRODUCTS
The American Chemistry Council surveyed customers to find out what their definition of compostable is. Their study cited that most respondents felt that compostable items can be put back into the ground to make soil, mulch or fertilizer that can be used in a garden or around the home. They also go on the state that the chief attribute of compostable materials is that the decomposition is beneficial to the earth which stands in opposition to their biodegradable beliefs that materials simply disappear completely.
The ASTM also has a definition for compostable plastics products which some municipalities have mandated as their rule and guideline that packaging must meet. The ASTM D6400 definition is quite lengthy and very specific. It covers such points as time frames for decomposition and left over materials acceptable.
It is important to note that these products must be sent to a professionally managed composting facility in order to be composted correctly. They will not compost in a back yard compost heap. They will however completely compost at a professionally run facility. Nothing biodegrades or composts in a landfill in a reasonable period of time.
