100% Biodegradable Plastic from Renewable Resources

Fortum

This technology is a truly biodegradable plastic, developed by Fortum, a European company, and available for volume commercial use. Unlike previous "biodegradable" plastics manufactured from a combination of degradable materials and nondegradable hydrocarbons, this new product is created using polylactides -- a wholly organic product formed by the fermentation of carbohydrates (such as the glucose found in grains, fruits, and vegetables) which produces lactic acid. The lactic acid is transformed into a polymer -- a strong molecular structure formed by long strings of atoms. However, this organic polymer, polylactide, breaks down easily into simple, environmentally safe elements which are then completely metabolized by normal soil microflora in a short period of time.

Ease of Manufacturing

What makes this biodegradable plastic even more attractive is the ease with which it can be manufactured. The new polylactide resin being developed is designed to be processed like traditional hydrocarbon-based plastics such as polyolefins. Manufacturers can use the same machinery and processes currently being used for traditional plastics to convert to the new polylactide plastic and use less energy to produce it compared to traditional hydrocarbon plastics such as polyethylene, polyester, and polystyrene.

The new polymer is extremely flexible in every sense of the word. It can be formed into fibers and non-wovens, sheets and thermoformed products, extruded and blown films. It can be used in a wide range of commercial, industrial, medical, and agricultural applications.

Completely Biodegradable

Conventional plastics are made from petrochemicals, which pose environmental disposal problems. Even many so-called "biodegradable" plastics, such as the heavily promoted shopping bags of the late 1970´s and early 1980´s, don´t decompose. Requiring the ultraviolet rays of the sun to weaken the plastic´s molecular bonds, most of those earlier bags ended up plowed under in landfills where sunlight never reached them. However, polylactide polymer is an entirely natural product created from starches and sugars and decomposes quite readily when exposed to water, enzymes, and heat generated by composting. Studies have shown that polylactide plastics, once exposed to natural forces such as light, humidity, oxygen, and soil micro-organisms, convert into humus, carbon dioxide, and water. Without the presence of oxygen, decomposing polylactides also generate methane, a common natural gas. Even under a variety of conditions, polylactides decompose completely within a reasonable period of time.

Virtually Unlimited Applications

Polylactides are actually not new, having been developed several years ago for limited, high-end medical uses, such as resorbable screws, sutures, and pins. The problem was being able to produce a quality biodegradable plastic cost-effectively in high volumes. "The type of polylactide you see used in medical applications are extremely expensive to produce and so are manufactured in small amounts," said Dr. Johan-Fredrik Selin, developer of the new polymer. "With our new polylactide polymer, cost-effective production is possible and we see a whole host of new uses, including optically clear films, extrusion coatings for paper and board, personal hygiene products, textiles, packaging, and disposable food service products such as cups, plates, trays, and flatware."