New polymer packaging material will make waste plastic disappear

In the near future, plastic films used to package foods can be turned into compost. BASF researchers, the world's largest chemical company, have developed the world's first food packaging bag that can be used as a compost. This bag is made from Ecoflex, a completely biodegradable plastic material. Ecoflex films and bags can rot with organic waste. In composting systems, microorganisms decompose plastic waste and leave only natural residues such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Ecoflex has now become a bestseller: In 2001, BASF's Ecoflex sales showed double-digit growth.

Ecoflex is a milestone important product that BASF has committed to sustainable development. When BASF researchers develop innovative products all the time, they are all concerned with how to reduce the burden on the environment and resources. As a company listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, BASF is one of the outstanding multinational companies that unwaveringly views the sustainable development concept as part of its corporate strategy.

Currently, 90% of Ecoflex's annual production is used in conjunction with plastic materials and renewable raw materials. Usually used for food packaging, such as cardboard boxes or starch made containers. Ecoflex coating effectively solves the problem of oil penetration of natural materials and produces hygienic and fully biodegradable packages. This polymer can even make the packaging made from renewable raw materials tougher and less likely to break or crack. A high-performance food packaging was born, which is suitable for all occasions from coffee cups to hamburger boxes. Due to the waterproof, oil-proof properties of Ecoflex materials, it can be used to produce trash liners, food bags and sealing films. The used plastic waste can be treated together with organic waste. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the existing waste treatment facilities in each town, because Ecoflex is almost as fast as vegetable starch in the normal compost system. In agriculture, the plastic film covered by the farmers to protect the crops from frost does not have to be recovered. The agricultural film made of Ecoflex needs only to be ploughed into the soil and it will naturally decompose in the soil. Moreover, it has been verified that due to the many similar properties of Ecoflex film and traditional plastic polyethylene (PE), this new synthetic material can completely use the same processing system as PE.

In Ecoflex's production process, BASF's chemists combined oxalic acid, butylene glycol and terephthalic acid to form a new polymer. The molecular chain lengths of the above components and their branching and interconnection structures determine the properties of such biodegradable plastics. Whether making flexible films or food containers, these products are biodegradable. In fact, these ingredients derived from chemical products have no effect on the biodegradability of Ecoflex. A large number of common microorganisms in the soil and compost can break it down. The enzymes in the natural bacteria and fungi can also decompose them. This synthetic material only leaves water, carbon dioxide and biomass. Ecoflex returns to its natural environment like naturally occurring polymers such as starch and cellulose.

Comprehensive testing proves that Ecoflex meets the strict requirements of German DINV54900: It is fully biodegradable and suitable for the manufacture of compost. The compost has high quality, and the polymer and its degradation product have no toxic effect on the plant body, and the degradation intermediate has no adverse effect on the organic matter in the water. This innovative plastic has not only been certified in Germany, but also meets all the requirements of the European standard EN 13432 for the manufacture of compost materials, and it even complies with GreenPla's requirements for biodegradable materials.

Due to its outstanding performance in biodegradability testing, Ecoflex shows a huge difference from biodegradable polyethylene (as used in large quantities in food packaging in China). These polyethylene products may be less expensive than E-coflex, but they cannot fully return to natural circulation and do not meet the international standards for biodegradability.

Reprinted from: Guangdong Packaging