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Dubai: Oxobiodegrable bags are fully biodegradable and will provide a better solution to paper or compostable bags made of natural fibres such as jute, plastic manufacturers in the UAE have said.
Once plastic is treated with a special chemical compound and the plastic wears down and oxidises, it is no longer plastic, said Winston Pryce, general manager of Eco Polymers, an oxo-biodegradable plastic company.
Previous 'green' plastics came under scrutiny based on whether or not a plastic can fully biodegrade and be absorbed by microorganisms. The time it takes for such plastics to disappear has also been a bone of contention.
The oxo-biodegradable plastic continues to break down throughout its lifespan until eventually it has biodegraded completely, said Pryce. "It will biodegrade anywhere, lying on a dune or floating in the ocean," he said.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic bags on the surface of a landfill will biodegrade faster than those at the bottom because of available oxygen, said Pryce.
Ramani Narayan, from Michigan State University, said oxo-biodegradable bags should be consumed within the time specified by related standards as the waste will end up in landfills.
"One key question that needs to be addressed, especially in the Gulf countries, is where will the waste end up [because] if it is simply thrown out, there are not too many microorganisms present in those environments," he said.
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