Accelerating Bio-Degradation. Ref. Ares(2019) /01/2019

Accelerating Bio-Degradation

AGENDA

1. Generalities about DE-Tow

2. Biodegradability: Definition, Tests and Certifications

3. Biodegradation performances of

standard Cellulose Acetate Fibers and DE-Tow

4. Status of certification for DE-Tow

5. Other performances: DE-Tow = Standard Tow

The Benefits of New Generation Rhodia DE-Tow

•

•

composting, in industrial composting

•

product integrity requirements of customers

•

design, sensory …) similar to standard tow

→ cellulose acetate filter tow

AGENDA

1. Generalities about DE-Tow

2. Biodegradability: Definition, Tests and Certifications

3. Biodegradation performances of

standard Cellulose Acetate Fibers and DE-Tow

4. Status of certification for DE-Tow

5. Other performances: DE-Tow = Standard Tow

In which environment biodegradability can be tested?

water _{biogas plant}

landfill marine water

Waste Management _anaerobic

Environmental Care

the environment has to be bio-active!

Tests of Biodegradation

• most standard methods are based on CO₂ production or O₂ consumption

• in general the sample is tested vs. fast degrading reference (e.g. cellulose powder) Sample or Reference inoculum (microbes) nutrients sample reference CO₂ production (O₂ consumption) Test Environment

(soil, water, compost etc.)

Biodegradation is expressed in:

• % absolute vs theoretical carbon content of sample • % relative vs reference sample

Certificates on Biodegradability

(example of TÜV Austria, former Vinçotte)

Biodegradability tests Additional requirements

Soil ISO 17556 or ISO 11266 or ASTM D.5988-96

max. duration: 2 years

• no ecotoxicity • no SVHCs

• requirements concerning specific heavy metals to be fulfilled

Marine Water

ASTM D.6691

max. duration: 6 months

• disintegration at max. thickness • no ecotoxicity

• no SVHCs

• requirements concerning specific heavy metals to be fulfilled

Water ISO 14851 (oxygen demand) or

ISO 14852 (carbon dioxide evolution)

max. duration: 56 days

• dispersibility in cold water • no SVHCs

• requirements concerning heavy metals and toxic substances to be fulfilled

Home Compost

ISO 14855-1 at 20 – 30 °C

max. duration: 1 year

• disintegration at max. thickness • no ecotoxicity, test of compost quality • no SVHCs

• requirements concerning specific heavy metals to be fulfilled

Industrial Compost

ISO 14855-1 at 58 °C

max. duration: 6 months

• disintegration at max. thickness • no ecotoxicity, test of compost quality • no SVHCs

AGENDA

1. Generalities about DE-Tow

2. Biodegradability: Definition, Tests and Certifications

3. Biodegradation performances of

standard Cellulose Acetate Fibers and DE-Tow

4. Status of certification for DE-Tow

5. Other performances: DE-Tow = Standard Tow

… cellulose acetate, a non-biodegradable plastic …

…

non-biodegradable

cellulose acetate filters

…

Contrary to popular belief, cigarette butts are NOT biodegradable! C. Curtis et al., Tobacco Control (2016) 0, 1–5

WHO 2017, Tobacco and its environmental impact: an overview

http://www.no-smoke.org

Depending upon the degree of substitution cellulose acetate

can be biodegradable http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Cellulose_acetate

Cellulose Acetate Fibers are biodegradable

…

Biofilm formation, „deacetylating“ microbes are rate determing

Synergistic degradation including deactylation and cellulose breakdown

Cellulose acetate with degree of substitution (DS) ~ 2.5

Cellulose

Cellulose Acetate

→ biodegradable, but

lag phase leading to

Tests performed by OWS

for external approval of biodegradability

Organic Waste Systems – Lab & Consulting Services

certified lab for biodegradation tests

http://www.ows.be/lab-consulting-services/

… but with high variability in aerobic degradations

tests and generally not fast enough to be certified.

Cellulose (powder)

Cellulose Acetate (milled fibers)

Cellulose Acetate (milled fibers)

Compared to most other biodegradable materials, cellulose acetate typically shows a high variability in even under very same conditions.

according to ISO 14851

Test in water

→ biodegradable, but

not fast enough to fulfill certification requirements

waste water water

Cellulose Acetate fibers with improved biodegradability

(Rhodia DE-Tow)

→ the lag phase in the biodegradation of cellulose acetate is shortened by the introduction in the Cellulose Acetate matrix of a food/pharmaceutical grade biodegradation enhancer

→ proprietary development of Rhodia Acetow

AGENDA

1. Generalities about DE-Tow

2. Biodegradability: Definition, Tests and Certifications

3. Biodegradation performances of

standard Cellulose Acetate Fibers and DE-Tow

4. Status of certification for DE-Tow

5. Other performances: DE-Tow = Standard Tow

Status certification (ongoing) for DE-Tow

→ biodegradability test passed

→ ecotoxicity test passed

New disintegration test (ongoing)

cellulose DE-Tow Time (days) Biodegra da tion Biodegra da tion Time (days) → target: min. 90 % of cellulose after 180 days cellulose

DE-Tow

→ biodegradability test passed