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Are degradable plastics zero-waste?
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Subject: RE: [GreenYes] Are degradable plastics zero-waste?
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 09:58:31 -0700
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Thread-Topic: [GreenYes] Are degradable plastics zero-waste?
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From: "SPENDELOW Peter H" <SPENDELOW.Pe...@deq.state.or.us>
To: "Doug Koplow" <kop...@indecon.com>,
<greenyes@googlegroups.com>
Doug-
I don't know about other bio-based plastics, but polylactic acid (PLA) =
does not break down quickly as litter or in water or in small home =
composting piles. Paper items break down much quicker. PLA requires both =
moisture and heat to break down. It does break down fairly quickly in =
commercial composting, because the commercial composting piles get =
pretty hot and also have sufficient moisture present. It will break =
down eventually though, which certainly is a good thing for littered =
items that do not get picked up.
Peter Spendelow
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
503-229-5253=20
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Koplow [mailto:kop...@indecon.com]=20
Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 6:41 AM
To: SPENDELOW Peter H; greenyes@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Are degradable plastics zero-waste?
I've seen some focus of these biobased products on markets for which =
litter is a problem -- for example, food service near national parks. =
In this type of a situation, rapid composting into water and CO2 would =
indeed be a benefit.
_______________________________
Doug Koplow
Earth Track, Inc.
2067 Massachusetts Avenue - 4th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02140
www.earthtrack.net
Tel: 617/661-4700
Fax: 617/354-0463
|
