Record Display for the EPA National Library Catalog
RECORD NUMBER: 13 OF 33Main Title | Investigation of the Biodegradability of Packaging Plastics. | |||||||||||
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Author | Pott, James E. ; Clendinnin, Robert A. ; Ackar, Watson B. ; | |||||||||||
CORP Author | Union Carbide Corp., Bound Brook, N.J. Chemicals and Plastics. | |||||||||||
Year Published | 1972 | |||||||||||
Report Number | CPE-70-124; R2-72-046; | |||||||||||
Stock Number | PB-213 488 | |||||||||||
Additional Subjects | ( Plastics ; Biodeterioration) ; ( Packaging materials ; Biodeterioration) ; ( Waste disposal ; Plastics) ; Polyethylene ; Polystyrene ; Polymeric films ; Bags ; Molecular structure ; Molecular weight ; Pyrolysis ; Ethylene copolymers ; Styrene copolymers ; Soil tests ; Lactams ; Plasticizers ; Antioxidants ; Absorbers(Materials) ; Solid waste disposal ; Plastic bags ; Pyrolysis incineration ; Polymer additives | |||||||||||
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Collation | 87p | |||||||||||
Abstract | The study investigates the effects of various structural parameters on the biodegradability of plastics. It includes a determination of the effect of molecular weight and polymer end group composition on the biodegradability of polyethylene and polystyrene, and an evaluation of the biodegradability of various block, graft and random copolymers containing polyethylene or polystyrene chain segments. Also included is a study of the biodegradability of organic chemicals used commercially as additives to plastics. The study verifies the popular belief that the current high volume, high molecular weight packaging plastics are not biodegradable at practical rates. The report also establishes that the structural modification of polyethylene and polystyrene by random copolymerization with other monomers will not lead to biodegradability. (Author) |