A Need for Biodegradable Materials

In an ideal world, all sustainability initiatives would be centered around The Circular Economy principles:

Recycle, Reuse & Reclaim!

However, recycling is not always an option and biodegradability can also contribute against fugitive plastic waste:

• In 2015 – 141 million MT of packaging materials
32% ends up in nature after end-of-life.
• 80% of plastic that is found in oceans comes from unmanaged waste on land.
• Projected 4 billion tons of fugitive plastic waste by 2050 if not addressed.

A Unique Technology

Imagine...

• Known materials with built in end-of-life functionality.
• Adjustable product service life-times followed by biotransformation, with just air, light, moisture & common microbes.
• Degrading in the open environment without the need for industrial composting conditions.
• An end result of biomass, CO2 & water with no microplastic nor any harmful impacts to the earth.
• With our scientific partner, Polymateria, IVL is working to develop materials that deliver all of the above.

What is Biotransformation?

Biotransformation

The process of transforming the polymer into a substrate accessible for microbes.

• Degradation of PP, causing the polymer to oxidize and decompose into a wax after the product service life-time. 
• The wax is then accessible to bacteria & fungi, normally found in the open environment.
• This is a “oxo-biodegradation” process, not “oxo-degradation”.

“oxo-biodegradation”

Successively, oxidative and cell-mediated transformation

The plastic has fully biodegraded

“oxo-degradation” 

Oxidative cleavage of macromolecules

Micro-plastic remain present

Biotransformation Technology built into polyolefin materials to create Biodegradable polypropylene and polyethylene fibers.

Watch this video from Polymateria’s CEO, Niall Dunne, as he explains how the technology works:

Alternatively please contact sales@fibervisions.com