US-EPA
I have just seen this important statement from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It seems that everyone is now realising, all around the world, that making the plastic with d2w technology is the way to prevent plastic in the environment from creating microplastics and accumulating there for decades. The EPA statement says:
“Accelerating Polymer Degradation using Pro-oxidants”
“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 photooxidation 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 benign filler could significantly reduce the persistence of plastic pollution without creating undesired by-products.”
See also https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/why-biodegradable/
MEXICO
I saw in a magazine called Truthout that bans on single-use plastic bags came into effect in 29 of Mexico’s 32 states between 2018 and 2021, but in Puebla, where plastic bags have been banned since 2020, 12 to 13 tons of plastic bags are collected daily.
It seems that “with rubbish dumps overflowing, it is clear the bans have had little impact. Farmlands are littered with plastic, and farmers are planting corn amid the plastic rubbish. The rubbish also blocks city drains, leading to flooding. Bottom of Form
Due to this, many of Mexico’s rivers, mangroves and beaches are becoming de facto rubbish dumps, and 60% of the waste on Mexico’s beaches is plastic.”
It will be quite a long time before Mexico gets this kind of pollution under control, and in the meantime they need to make the plastic with d2w technology at little or no extra cost, so that it will biodegrade much more quickly if it gets into the open environment. Fortunately there is now a Mexican standard comparable to ASTM D6954 by which this new type of plastic can be tested for degradation, biodegradation, and non-toxicity.
SCOTLAND
From Mexico to Scotland – it seems that they are having the same problem despite their attempts to keep plastic litter under control. I have just read in the Lochside Press that a shocking increase in plastic litter on beaches has been revealed. They too should be making the plastic with d2w technology.
KANSAS, USA
I have noticed that a new Bill in the State Congress aims to prevent local governments from banning single-use plastics. That makes a lot of sense, and it’s time to push back against plastiphobia, because plastic is often the best material for protecting food and other goods from contamination and damage, and it has the lowest LCA of all packaging materials https://www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/life-cycle-assessments/ It is much better than paper or cardboard https://www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/paper-bags/
The Kansas Chamber of Commerce said “While they had a 60% reduction in single-use plastic bags in New Jersey, the use of plastics has actually increased by three times because the multiple-use bag that you’re buying from the store contains more plastic, and actually has a higher carbon footprint than single-use bags.”
There is only one thing wrong with plastic – it can lie or float around for decades, but this can be solved by making the plastic with d2w technology See https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/why-biodegradable/
Michael Stephen
Michael Stephen is a lawyer and was a member of the United Kingdom Parliament, where he served on the Environment Select Committee. When he left Parliament Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc. attracted his attention because of his interest in the environment. He is now Deputy Chairman of Symphony, which is listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange, and is the founder and Chairman of the Biodegradable Plastics Association.
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