For different applications, a special formulated amount of pro-degradant additive is added into the conventional manufacturing process. This will affect not only control the shelf life of the product but also impact the characteristic of
the plastic material itself (for example the amount of transparency in clear Oxo-biodegradable bags). Depending on the amount of additive added, the product’s life cycle could vary from as short as 6 months to as long as 5-6 years. The additive breaks the molecular chains in the polymer, and at the end of the product’s pre-programmed life cycle the product falls apart. The plastic does not just fragment, but it will be consumed by bacteria and fungi after the additive has reduced the molecular weight to a level that permits microorganisms’ access to the carbon and hydrogen. It is therefore "biodegradable."

The process of degradation continues until the material has harmlessly biodegraded to nothing more than CO2, water, and humus, and it does not leave fragments of petro-polymers in the soil. (None of these are toxic, no methane gas)

More info: www.biodeg.org

Comparison