So-called ‘oxo-fragmentable’ products are made from conventional plastics and supplemented with specific additives in order to mimic biodegradation. In truth, however, these additives only facilitate a fragmentation of the materials, which do not fully degrade but break down into very small fragments that remain in the environment.
Biodegradability is an inherent characteristic of a material or polymer. In contrast to oxo-fragmentation, biodegradation results from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms. The process produces water, carbon dioxide, and biomass as end products.
Oxo-fragmentable materials do not biodegrade under industrial composting conditions as defined in accepted standard specifications such as EN 13432, ISO 18606, or ASTM D6400.