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The first known use of biodegradable in a biological context was in 1959 when it was employed to describe the breakdown of material into innocuous components by microorganisms. [57] Now biodegradable is commonly associated with environmentally friendly products that are part of the earth's innate cycles like the carbon cycle and capable of ...
Removing such waste from the rest of the waste stream substantially reduces waste volumes for disposal and also allows biodegradable waste to be composted. Biodegradable waste can be used for composting or a resource for heat, electricity and fuel by means of incineration or anaerobic digestion. [7] Swiss Kompogas and the Danish AIKAN process ...
By definition, biodegradable materials are formed or organic compounds which can thus be broken down by living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or water molds, and reabsorbed by the natural environment. [13] Whether a material is biodegradable is determined by its chemical structure, not the origin of the material from which it is made. [14]
The use of biotic materials and processed biotic materials (bio-based material) as alternative natural materials over synthetics is widespread with those who are environmentally conscious because such materials are usually biodegradable, renewable, and the processing is commonly understood and has minimal environmental impact.
There is an important difference between biodegradability and biobased content. A bioplastic such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) [113] can be 100% biobased (i.e. contain 100% renewable carbon), yet be non-biodegradable. These bioplastics such as HDPE nonetheless play an important role in greenhouse gas abatement, particularly when they are ...
They are called "closed" because products have a circular life cycle, beginning as raw materials and either being recycled into replacement products, returning to the original raw materials, or being returned to the environment as biodegradable waste. [2] This reduces the amount of (non-biodegradable) waste disposed, as recyclables are ...
In typical parlance, the word biodegradable is distinct in meaning from compostable.While biodegradable simply means an object is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms, "compostable" in the plastic industry is defined as able to decompose in aerobic environments that are maintained under specific controlled temperature and humidity conditions.
Waste comes in many different forms and may be categorized in a variety of ways. The types listed here are not necessarily exclusive and there may be considerable overlap so that one waste entity may fall into one to many types.