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Biopolymer Packaging in Connection with the Domestic Waste Management

During recent years a new group of packaging materials has been introduced to the market. Biopolymers as well as biodegradable bio-plastics for short-lived applications are already commercially available. Eco-friendly packaging materials especially for food grade packaging as well as service packaging for retail are going to replace pure fossil-based foils and bottles gradually. Some of them are a mixture of renewable and fossil resources (blends). The bio-based carbon content varies from 90 - 97 mass-% (Poly-Lactic-Acid, PLA) to 30 - 65 mass-% (PLA-blends) to 25 - 70 mass-% (starch blends).

Nevertheless, there is confusion among all parties (consumers, authorities and plant operators) about selecting the appropriate treatment route for compostable, non-compostable and/or recyclable biopolymers. The Input of biopolymers in existing municipal waste management systems shows a series of questions dealing with recycling or disposal strategies. The differentiation between biological origin and biodegradability is important. Biopolymers, most of them are blends of fossil and renewable components/resources, are not necessarily biodegradable and some of them do not decompose even undergo intensive rotting. EN Standard 13432 defines the requirements for the proof of biodegradability. This essentially means the decomposition to water and carbon dioxide within a certain period of time.
Waste material classification and the development of an effective collection system preventing littering problems is a big issue in today’s waste strategies. For this reason several end-of-life options for biopolymer lightweight packaging coexist. In addition to simple disposal, recycling, composting (home and industrial) and waste incineration (mono- or co-combustion), approaches of fermentation and subsequent biogas production exist. All these treatment strategies have their pros and cons and require an efficient and standardized waste collection system. A consistent collection and treatment system for biopolymer-packaging waste doesn’t currently exist in Austria. Together with the projected increase in volume, waste management strategies for biopolymers in connection with well-established and efficient collection and disposal systems have to be developed in the future.
Recycling of bio-based polymers is still in its infancy. Apart from the negligible amount (< 1 mass-%), a precise process control is important. Considering thermal recovery bio-plastics partly behave CO2-neutral. It all depends on the renewable raw material content. Composting of biodegradable materials is due to the possibility of confusion with fossil-based polymers not the best treatment option. Only partially degraded materials adversely affect the quality of the compost. Direct disposal is prohibited in Austria due to the landfill ban. However, biopolymers should not be simply thrown away, well known as littering, although some of them are classified as biodegradable.

Copyright:	© Lehrstuhl für Abfallverwertungstechnik und Abfallwirtschaft der Montanuniversität Leoben
Quelle:	Depotech 2012 (November 2012)
Seiten:	8
Preis:	€ 4,00
Autor:	Dipl.-Ing. Dr. mont. Gernot Kreindl
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