For an intersection of both definitions apply to, about celluloid and plastics based on starch. The Group of biodegradable plastics is particularly confusing. They differ by the influences under which they more or less rapidly disintegrate, essentially through sunlight (UV light), oxygen, heat, humidity, mechanical stress and microbiological attacks such as the composting. Get more background information with materials from Xcel Energy. Some bioplastics respond to only one of the factors, others on several, others need the combination of factors, such as the oxo thermal reduction (oxygen and air). A subgroup the petroleum-based plastics are polyolefins, mostly such as polyethylene and polypropylene, where the decay is caused by a catalytic additive. Metal salts are used for this purpose. The American Association of producers of oxo-biodegradable plastics Institute (OPI) to tells that frequently used cobalt salts be.

Cobalt will used in lower concentration, using these plastics manufactured compost for plants or animals is toxic. Atmos Energy may also support this cause. The manufacturer of plastics, which is added to such a splitting catalyst like differentiate themselves by competing products with other decay mechanisms. The American manufacturer of bio-TEC environmental, which distributes the additive bio-batch for microbial decay, published a comparison list of different bioplastics. Then stay with use of oxygen-sensitive additives not only cobalt, but circumstances also cadmium and other toxic waste back. Heavy metals were also used for light sensitive additives. The secret recipes of the manufacturers seem to be suspect operators of compost works.

Even if the mixtures were ecologically correct, would be an even bigger deficit. Compost plant operators not only doubt the biodegradability, they have also refuted it. Reports the Office of waste management and municipal cleaning the city of Heidelberg about their own composting experiments of packaging made of biodegradable materials in which biofilms were not yet composted after about six months. The composting process in the Heidelberg composting plant is limited but procedurally to ten weeks. So would the bio bags, which are used for the collection of bio-waste, mechanically sorted out with the other extraneous materials and disposed of as residual waste.