What is oxo-biodegradable plastic?
Oxo-biodegradable plastic is made by blending a pro-degradent additive into the plastic during the extrusion process. The additive causes the molecular structure of plastic to break down when exposed to heat or sunlight. The plastic will eventually be in a state where it can be digested by microorganisms. At this point, the plastic will degrade at a faster rate until it has fully degraded into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass. Oxo-biodegradable plastic, is often referred to as degradable plastic, since it does not require a biological process to degrade. Microorganisms will speed up the degradation process, but theyre not required. This gives oxo-biodegradation a distinct advantage over prior methods for degrading plastic. The degradation time varies depending on the amount of exposure to degradation promoters (sunlight, heat, and microorganisms). This is an optimal situation for consumers. Oxo-biodegradable plastic degrades quickest in the exact situation we want it to: when it beco
