Let's look at the science of what happens when the product gets to landfill.
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Plasgreen™ attracts microbes who start colonising on the surface of the plastic. These could include amylase and lipase microorganisms. Using secreted enzymes and water these microbes will hydrolyze the plastic. The additive then reacts with the enzymes to reduce the polymer chain (which is hard for the microbes to eat) into bite size pieces.
Plasgreen™ reacts with the process effectively expanding the polymer structure and allowing the microbes to feast deeper into the plastic. This creates little ‘caves’ in the plastic and increases the ‘effective surface area’ to which microbes can attach and speeds up the natural biodegradation process.
Organic biodegradation goes through four main stages. They are Hydrolysis, Acidogenesis, Acetogenesis and Methanogenesis. Due to Plasgreen™ the plastic goes through these stages at an enhanced rate.
The polymer is consumed as the microbes convert it to methane, carbon dioxide, biomass and water. Advances in landfill technology are capturing more methane than ever before and converting it to energy.
Tests have shown that Plasgreen™ accelerates biodegradation of plastics in the ocean and soils. However, because Plasgreen™ works best in anaerobic conditions (no oxygen) it does take longer to break down in the ocean than in landfill.
- The additive allows micro-organisms to culture on the surface as a biofilm.
- Chemical signals attract microbes who feast on the polymer chains.
- In landfill, this enzymatic process breaks down the polymers the same way as organic material but at an enhanced rate to traditional plastics.
- The released gases are captured and converted to energy. All that remains is humus (organic material) and water.*
Plasgreen™ Anaerobic Biodegradation Test*
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