Page ID: 00.02.00

 

Terminology

There are a number of words used to describe different systems for degrading plastics. The most important are explained below:

Degradable, Totally Degradable and Oxo-biodegradable

All these terms refer to the same system and include technologies which are similar to d2w. The common feature of these is that the progress of the primary degradation depends on any combination of light, heat, stress and air.

Biodegradable, Hydro-biodegradable

These terms are also the same as one another and refer to technologies where the degradation depends on the plastics being in a biologically active environment - for example, in compost - and where the destruction of the material is a result of its consumption by microbes.


From this description it can be seen that Degradable plastics will disappear in all the same locations as Biodegradable plastics. The reverse, however, is not the case as Biodegradable plastics will not degrade unless, for example, they are buried.