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DEGRADABLE PLASTIC

DEGRADABLE PLASTIC. 2003 PLASTIC BAG REGULATIONS. REDUCE RE-USE RECYCLE THREE INTERVENTIONS CHARGING & LEVY THICKNESS - 24 MICRON TYPE OF INK INTERVENTIONS WORKED RETAILERS CONTRIBUTING TO FISCAL (3 CENTS PER BAG ) BUYISA-e-BAG COMPANY UNIQUE TO SOUTH AFRICA

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DEGRADABLE PLASTIC

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  1. DEGRADABLEPLASTIC

  2. 2003 PLASTIC BAG REGULATIONS • REDUCE • RE-USE • RECYCLE • THREE INTERVENTIONS • CHARGING & LEVY • THICKNESS - 24 MICRON • TYPE OF INK • INTERVENTIONS WORKED • RETAILERS CONTRIBUTING TO FISCAL (3 CENTS PER BAG ) • BUYISA-e-BAG COMPANY • UNIQUE TO SOUTH AFRICA • COLLECTION OF ALL RECYCLABLE MATERIALS NEED ATTENTION

  3. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • DISINTEGRATION The falling apart into very small fragments of packaging or packaging material caused by degradation mechanisms.

  4. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • DEGRADATION An irreversible process leading to a significant change of the structure of a material, typically characterised by a loss of properties (eg. Integrity, molecular weight, structure or mechanical strength) and/or fragmentation. Degradation is affected by environmental conditions and proceeds over a period of time comprising one or more steps.

  5. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • DEGRADABLE A material is called degradable with respect to specific environmental conditions if it undergoes a degradation to a specific extent within a given time measured by specific standard test methods.

  6. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • BIODEGRADABLE A degradable plastic in which the degradation results from the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae. For this to occur oxygen and water is required and the plastic must be derived from Biopolymer rather than Petropolymers. (eg. Starch from Corn, Potatoes or Wheat).

  7. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • PHOTODEGRADABLE The disintegration of plastic due to exposure to ultra violet light. This will occur naturally over time without the need for additives. However the process could be excellerrated with additives.

  8. DEFINITIONS FOR DEGRADABLE PLASTIC • COMPOSTABLE A plastic that undergoes degradation by biological processes during composting to yield CO2, water inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other compostable materials and leaves no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue. This will occur if the plastic product is handled as compost and will not occur in solid waste dumps due to the lack of oxygen and sunlight. For biodegradable plastics to effectively decompose they need to be treated like compost. There are many specific application for compostable material: mulch film and composting bags. Petro-polymers and Biopolymers should not be used in the same applications. There is a view that materials used as a food source (maize) should not be redirected into Petro-polymer applications.

  9. RECYCLING • SUPPORTED BY MOST PLASTIC FEDERATIONS(see UK report) • RE-USE OF RESOURCES Disintegration destroys a reusable resource • CREATES EMPLOYMENT Collectors and buy back centers • MANY APPLICATIONS for recycled material • REFUSE BAGS, WATER PIPE, CONSTRUCTION FILM AND NON CRITICAL PACKAGING PRODUCTS • POST CONSUMER RECYCLERS WILL NOT PURCHASE MATERIAL CONTAINING BIOPOLYMERS OR DEGRADING ADDITIVES

  10. Warning issued over biodegradable plastics Warning issued over biodegradable plastics • 11/10/2007 • By John Whitehead • Film streams a concern, says chair of BPF’s Recycling Council. • 11 October 2007 – The presence of biodegradable packaging in the recycling stream represents, “a short route to disaster,” the chairman of the BPF Recycling Council warned last week. “Even small quantities of PLA in oil-based plastic bottle recyclate can create quality and specification problems,” Mark Burstall told the BPF’s Biopolymers and Biodegradable Plastics – An Analysis of their Future Role seminar. • Film streams are another concern, he pointed out, since much of the recyclate from this sector is used in damp proof applications. “Film is much more difficult to sort with potentially disastrous consequences for quality and reliability,” he told the event. • Confirming long held suspicions about the compatibility of the two streams, Burstall highlighted the dangers that biodegradable pose to conventional recyclers whether full degradation take place or not. • “We all think biodegradable polymers have an important role to play but find specific applications. Don’t mix biodegradable and conventional plastics in the same application,” he went on. • Possible biodegradable applications include collection bags for composting and horticultural and agricultural film, in each case made in a special colour. In theory, noted experienced recycler Burstall, biodegradable plastic bottles can be put in the green bin for composting. “In practice,” he said, “compost site operators cannot tell the difference and so they reject all plastic bottles.” • However, Burstall is at pains to emphasise that concerns relate to biodegradable plastics and that biopolymers without this property do not raise an issue. • Quoting 2006 figures from Wrap, Burstall put UK biopolymer consumption at just 3,000 tonnes out of a plastics packaging total of 2.5m tonnes. Despite a 525,000 tonnes recycling figure, the quantity going to landfill still amounts to almost 2m tonnes a year, he acknowledged.

  11. WASTE PYRAMID

  12. POST CONSUMER WASTE

  13. QUOTE – Great Reads Investigation American Bill Rathjee, former archaeologist and now garbologist, says the dumps of the Roman Empire are still leaching today. Rathjee has been rewriting landfill science since he discovered that lack of oxygen and sunlight slowed decomposition. Landfills are therefore not vast composters but vast mummifiers – making our newspapers and baked-bean tins the trash time capsules of the future.

  14. QUESTION • Support recycling which is very much clear cut OR degredation with the mine field of claims made my additive suppliers. • Support anti-litter campaigns

  15. TRANSPACO RECYCLING

  16. TRANSPACO RECYCLINGISO 9001:2000

  17. TRANSPACO AS YOUR SUPPLIER • Largest post consumer polyethylene recycler in South Africa. • The only retail plastic bag manufacturer which recycles post consumer waste. • Processes over 1 800 000 kilograms of post consumer polyethylene waste per month.

  18. PCA RECYCLING FACT SHEET

  19. 10 FACTS ABOUT PLASTICS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW • Plastics are one of the most resource efficient and versatile materials available to society. • Plastics make a significant contribution to the vital goals of sustainable development: • Social progress: plastics provide affordable products giving more people access to higher standards of living, healthcare and information. • Economic development: the plastics industry chain in Europe adds value to society. It employs well over 1.5 million people and generates sales in excess of 159 billion euro. • Environment protection: plastics help save resources – fossil fuels and energy. Plastics products save water and food. • Plastics consume only a tiny fraction – just 4% - of the world’s oil, as feedstock. • Plastics products in use save oil : • 100kg of plastics parts in cars reduces oil consumption by about 12 million tons each year in Europe, reducing CO2 emissions by 30 million tons a year. • Plastics help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from our homes: the innovative use of plastics can reduce domestic fuel consumption to 3 litres per square metre, compared to an average of 20 litres.

  20. 10 FACTS ABOUT PLASTICS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW • Plastics are too valuable to waste – even at end-of-life. After serving a useful purpose, plastics can either be recycled or used as an alternative fuel. Plastic waste has a calorific value at least equal to coal and with lower CO2 emissions. • Renewable energies rely on plastics: solar panels, wind turbines. • Over 1 billion people in the world lack access to safe water. Plastics can preserve and distribute water economically, reliably and safely. • No other material can compete with plastics when it comes to meeting technological demand while preserving resources. • Plastics are the champions of prevention: • Plastics packaging represents 17% of all European packaging and yet packages over 50% of the consumer goods. • Over a ten year period it is estimated that plastics packaging per unit has been reduced by around 28% thanks to technology. • Without plastics packaging, the weight of packaging would increase four-fold, production costs and energy consumption would be doubled, and waste volume increased by 150%. • Plastics make our lives safer: airbags, seatbelts, baby seats, bike helmets, medical devices ……. are just some examples.

  21. LINKS • USEFUL LINKS REGARDING PLASTIC AND THE ENVIROMENT www.savetheplasticbag.com www.plasticseurope.org www.plasticsinfo.co.za

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