What are the end products of degradation and how do they affect the environment?
Polyethylene (PE) containing TDPA® additives has been tested extensively and confirmed to leave no harmful or toxic residues after oxidation and biodegradation. The products of biodegradation include carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and biomass, which is primarily the cells of the microorganisms that were responsible for the biodegradation of the disposed product. The products formed during commercial composting were shown to have no negative effects in standard seed germination, plant growth, earthworm and Daphnia ecotoxicity tests. There is no accumulation of residual polymer, polymer fragments or other organic materials. The compost produced has been shown to meet the standards for premium quality.
