Degradable plastic bag

Degradable plastic bag refers to a class of plastic products with specific environmentally friendly properties that is capable of breaking down into environmentally sound substances such as carbon dioxide, water and biomass under natural environmental conditions (e.g., soil, water or composting facilities under specific conditions) through biotic or abiotic processes. This property of biodegradable plastic bags significantly reduces their long-term pollution burden on the environment compared to traditional plastic bags, especially the accumulation of plastic waste.

Features

1. Environmental adaptability: Degradable plastic bags are designed to degrade more quickly in the natural environment, which includes mechanisms such as biodegradation (by microorganisms) and photodegradation (decomposition by ultraviolet light).
2. Diversity of raw materials: Raw materials used to manufacture biodegradable plastic bags typically include natural resources such as corn starch, sugar cane, lignocellulose, and modified traditional plastics with the addition of degradation enhancers.
3. Performance similar to traditional plastics: despite the pursuit of environmental protection, biodegradable plastic bags are as close as possible to traditional plastic bags in terms of strength and toughness to ensure the experience of use.
4. Degradation conditions: The rate of degradation depends on environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, microbial activity, etc. Some biodegradable plastic bags require specific industrial composting conditions for effective degradation.
5. Marking and certification: To ensure consumer recognition, biodegradable plastic bags are often clearly labelled, such as the ‘Seedling’ mark, which is in line with international standards, or certifications such as ASTM D6400.

Applications

1. Retail and supermarkets: used as shopping bags to replace traditional plastic bags and reduce the use of single-use plastics. 2.
2. Food Packaging: Used to package food products, especially those for immediate consumption or short cycle storage, reducing the environmental impact of food packaging.
3. Agriculture and horticulture: used for packaging of seeds, fertilisers, and agricultural films, etc. These products are in direct contact with the soil after use, and degradable properties are particularly important.
4. Medical Waste Disposal: In the medical field, biodegradable plastic bags are used to encapsulate biohazardous waste for safe disposal.
5. Events and Exhibitions: For catering services and gift packaging at large events, the choice of biodegradable plastic bags contributes to the green image of the event.