Biodegradable material

When exposed to light, air, moisture and microbes, biodegradable materials break down to natural elements that are found in nature.

While all materials can technically break down, many petroleum-based plastics take tens of thousands of years to do so and leave toxins in the surrounding soil. ‘Biodegradable’ products should biodegrade within a single generation, and leave nothing but water, carbon dioxide, naturally occurring minerals and biomass behind.

Materials are either 100% biodegradable or they are not. Terms like ‘x% biodegradable’ and ‘part-biodegradable’ are half-truths [1] , as the product will leave behind fragments that don’t break down in a natural environment.

The core principle of compostability is to leave soil enriched by the composting of a material. While similar, biodegradation and compostability are not the same: correct biodegradation adds no nutrients while not harming the soil.

A company may decide to use biodegradable packaging as an alternative to packaging that uses petroleum-based materials.

A company may also use biodegradable packaging if its values include having the smallest footprint as possible. If a company has biodegradable products, selling it in biodegradable packaging creates a complete product experience, where everything from the packaging and the product itself will break down into natural elements.

Deceptive labelling and marketing made up of untrue statements tend to muddy the already murky waters of biodegradable and compostable products. This is the main reason a company may not want to use biodegradable packaging.

Some products that are biodegradable in landfill take significantly longer to biodegrade in water and thus pose a threat to marine life [2] .

Packhelp’s products with biodegradable materials are certified by various organisations like the American ASTM D6868 ? 19 standards [3] and the European EN 14046 standards [4] among others.