Degradable plastic bags—what's the difference between degradable, biodegradable, and compostable?

As the environmental "white pollution" caused by traditional plastic bags becomes increasingly severe, and people's environmental awareness continuously rises, various new types of degradable material plastic bags such as degradable plastic bags, fully biodegradable plastic bags, and fully compostable plastic bags have emerged. Bio-based plastics and biodegradable plastics are new materials that are beneficial for environmental protection and can sustainably replace traditional petroleum-based plastics. "Degradable", "biodegradable", and "compostable" are terms often involved when people discuss these materials, and are easily confused, as they are similar yet distinct. So, what exactly is the difference between them? Below, Sunxingyuan Packaging, a professional flexible packaging manufacturer, will provide an explanation.

1. Degradable Plastics Bags
   Degradable plastic bags include those that can be degraded by physical and biological factors (light or heat, or microbial action). So-called oxo-degradable (i.e., accelerated degradation by catalysts or activators at high temperatures) or photo-degradable starch —polyethylene plastics can cause some environmental problems. These degradable plastic bag materials do not degrade as quickly as compostable plastics and may leave fragments. These hydrophobic fragments formed by degradation have a large surface area and may migrate into groundwater and soil, adsorbing and retaining highly toxic hydrophobic substances on their surface, such as PCBs and DDT, leading to toxic substance concentrations up to 1 million times background levels, sufficient to become a transport system for toxic substances in the environment. Therefore, it must be ensured that products are fully biodegradable within the very short time determined by treatment facilities.
   2. Biodegradable Plastics Bags

   Biodegradable plastic bags are those that can be completely digested by microorganisms in a treatment system as food to obtain energy (entering the food chain). This complete microbial digestion /utilization is determined by testing whether the carbon elements of the plastic can be completely converted into CO2 through microbial processes occurring in cells.

3. Compostable Plastics Bags

   In addition to being biodegradable by microorganisms, for a plastic bag to be called 'compostable' plastic, it must also meet a time requirement. For example, standards such as ASTM 6400 (Specification for Compostable Plastics), ASTM D6868 (Specification for Biodegradable Plastics Used as Coatings on Paper or Other Compostable Substrates), or EN 13432 (Packaging Recoverable Through Composting and Biodegradation) stipulate that these materials should biodegrade within 180 days in an industrial composting environment. An industrial composting environment refers to a specified temperature of approximately 60℃ and the presence of microorganisms. According to this definition, compostable plastics will not leave fragments that persist longer than approximately 12 weeks in residues, contain no heavy metals or toxic substances, and can sustain plant life. 。

High-Quality Degradable Plastic Bag Supplier

Dongguan Sunxingyuan Packaging Products Co., Ltd. is a professional flexible packaging manufacturer with advanced production equipment possessing over 19 years of experience in flexible packaging production, with strong R&D, design, and production capabilities. Its products are widely used in industries such as apparel, food, chemicals, home gifts, hardware, and electronics. The company adheres to the business philosophy of 'survival by reputation, development by quality' and aims for 'mutual cooperation, mutual benefit, and common development' to establish stable cooperative relationships with customers. Our clients are spread across many countries worldwide, including famous brands we collaborate with such as ADIDAS, AAPE, IZZUE, IT, and BRAINERD. Furthermore, Sunxingyuan passed the GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification this year. GRS (Global Recycled Standard) focuses on recycled content, social and environmental practices, and chemical use throughout the entire supply chain, making this standard a focal point for the recycled supply chain. The reuse of materials helps reduce reliance on non-renewable resources, minimize waste emissions and the environmental burden brought by waste disposal, and contributes to the sustainable development of society. 'Green production' has always been one of the business philosophies of Dongguan Sunxingyuan Packaging Products Co., Ltd.

Reasonable Quotation: Sunxingyuan Packaging can provide customers with the most comprehensive and reasonable quotations based on different materials and processes.

Exquisite Printing: Sunxingyuan Packaging adheres to a refined style, employing many professionals with over 20 years of experience in color matching and printing. Additionally, there are professional quality inspectors to check the quality of the printed surface, ensuring every detail of the packaging bag is refined and perfect.

High Efficiency: Sunxingyuan Packaging excels at coordinating the supply chain and has a complete process from order intake to finished product shipment, truly achieving high efficiency from raw material supply to finished product delivery, saving customers significant time costs.

Excellent Service: Sunxingyuan Packaging is adept at understanding customer needs, operating on the principle of maximizing customer convenience. It strives to save costs as much as possible in material selection and controls every production link, aiming solely to increase product satisfaction from 99% to 100%.

Since its establishment, Sunxingyuan Packaging has adhered to the principle of 'Quality is life, service first', striving for excellence and meeting all customer requirements, aiming to produce a series of packaging products that are most tailored to customer needs. Sunxingyuan Packaging products feature exquisite printing, good texture, and can be customized according to customer demands.

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