Labelling biodegradable products

Objective

The main objectives of this project is are development of guidelines, testing scheme and predictive models for labelling biodegradability of (agro) industrial polymers in relation to their environmental fate in agriculture and waste treatment.

In order to rearch these objectives, the following specific objectives and tasks are assigned
(a) To obtain better knowledge of available and recently developed so-called "biodegradable" materials, including environmental fate and
characterization methods.

(b) To determine the degree and rate of biodegradation and environmental safety of different biodegradable materials (e.g. starch based, polysters, etc.) using laboratory tests, including test development/improvement if necessary.

(c) To determine the degree and rate of "real-time biodegradation" and environmental safety of different biodegradable materials in practical relevant environments -either agricultural or composting ones.
(d) To determine and model the correlation of biodegration data from standard laboratory tests and "real-time" biodegradation experiments.
(e) To develop predictive models for a fast and economical acceptable pre-evaluation of biodegradability of materials for use in industrial development of new biodegradable products.

(f) To develop guidelines for labelling biodegradability of polymeric materials in relation to their environmental fate in agriculture and waste treatment.
For this project, a multidisciplinary consortium has been created including scientits (agriculture and polymer science), marketing sectors (material development and waste treatment industrles), and legislators (participants of national and European standardization committees concerning packaging and biodegradability) in order to define the market viability of new biodegradable products.

Programme(s)

• FP4-SMT - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of standards, measurements and testing, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0102 - Measurement and testing in the industrial development phase

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (7)