Degradation terms

(1).Plastic ban

In China,

By 2022, the consumption of disposable plastic products will be significantly reduced, alternative products will be promoted, and the proportion of plastic waste used as resources and energy will be significantly increased.

By 2025, a management system for the production, circulation, consumption, recycling and disposal of plastic products will have been basically established, the amount of plastic waste in landfills in key cities will be significantly reduced, and plastic pollution will be effectively controlled.

IN China–On April 10, 2020, Heilongjiang province began to solicit opinions on the classification standard of urban household garbage.

On A

1.Degradation

Affected by environmental conditions, after a certain period of time and involving one or more steps, the structure undergoes significant changes and performance loss (such as integrity, relative molecular mass, structure or mechanical strength).

2.Biodegradation

Degradation caused by biological activities, especially the action of enzymes, causes significant changes in the chemical structure of materials.

As the material is gradually decomposed by microorganisms or certain organisms as a nutrient source, it results in quality loss, performance, such as physical performance decline, and eventually causes the material to be decomposed into simpler compounds or elements, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) or/and methane (CH4), water (H2O) and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein, and new biomass.

3. Ultimate aerobic biodegradation

Under aerobic conditions, the material is finally decomposed by microorganisms into carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein, and new biomass.

4.Ultimate anaerobic biodegradation

Under anoxic conditions, the material is finally decomposed by microorganisms into carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water (H2O) and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein and new biomass.

5.Biological treatment capacity-biological treatability (biological treatability)

The potential of the material to be composted under aerobic conditions or biologically digested under anaerobic conditions.

6. Deterioration-deterioration (deterioration)

A permanent change in the loss of physical properties exhibited by plastics due to damage to certain structures.

7.Disintegration

The material physically fractures into extremely fine fragments.

8.Compost (comost)

Organic soil conditioner obtained from the biological decomposition of the mixture. The mixture is mainly composed of plant residues, and sometimes also contains some organic materials and certain inorganic substances.

9.Composting

An aerobic treatment method to produce compost.

10.Compostability-compostability

The ability of materials to be biodegraded during the composting process.

If the compost ability is declared, it must be stated that the material is biodegradable and disintegrable in the composting system (as shown in the standard test method), and is completely biodegradable in the final use of the compost. Compost must meet the relevant quality standards, such as low heavy metal content, no biological toxicity, and no obvious distinguishable residues.

11.Degradable plastic (degradable plastic)

Under the specified environmental conditions, after a period of time and containing one or more steps, the chemical structure of the material is significantly changed and certain properties (such as integrity, molecular mass, structure or mechanical strength) are lost and/or the plastic is broken. Standard test methods that can reflect changes in performance should be used for testing, and the category should be determined according to the degradation mode and use cycle.

See biodegradable plastics; compostable plastics; thermo-degradable plastics; light-degradable plastics.

12.Biodegradable plastic (biodegradable plastic)

Under natural conditions such as soil and/or sandy soil, and/or specific conditions such as composting conditions or anaerobic digestion conditions or in aqueous culture fluids, degradation is caused by the action of microorganisms in nature, and finally completely degraded into carbon dioxide (CO2) or/and methane (CH4), water (H2O) and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein, as well as new biomass plastics. 

See: Degradable Plastics.

13.Heat- and/or oxide- degradable plastic (heat- and/or oxide- degradable plastic)

Plastics that degrade due to heat and/or oxidation.

See: Degradable Plastics.

14. Photo-degradable plastic sheet (photo-degradable plastic sheet)

Plastics that are degraded by the action of natural sunlight.

See: Degradable Plastics.

15.compostable plastic

A plastic that can be degraded and disintegrated under composting conditions due to the biological reaction process, and finally completely decomposed into carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and mineralized inorganic salts of the elements contained therein, as well as new Biomass, and the heavy metal content, toxicity test, residual debris, etc. of the final compost must meet the requirements of relevant standards.


Post time: May-18-2021