What does biodegradable and photodegradable mean?
• Biodegradable: Able to break down or decompose rapidly under natural conditions and processes. With respect to biodegradable plastics, a natural polymer such as corn starch or vegetable oil is added to plastics. Bacteria uses the starch or oil as a food source. This breaks down the natural polymer/plastic matrix but does not degrade the plastic. However, research has indicated that very little biodegradation occurs in landfills, which is due in part to the lack of sufficient air and water. • Photodegradable: A process where ultraviolet radiation degrades the chemical bond or link in the polymer or chemical structure of a plastic. Photodegradable plastics have a sun-sensitive component added that triggers a physical disintegration when exposed to sunlight. However, once an item is buried in a landfill, there is very little, if any, degradation due a lack of sunlight.
