Additives for controlled degradation of agricultural plastics: ENVIROCARETM

ENVIROCARE additives are specialty chemicals that can be added to conventional thermoplastic polymers to obtain degradable agricultural plastic articles. Their main benefits are connected with their possible incorporation in commodity plastics. This allows the production of degradable agriculture plastic articles processable with standard manufacturing machines, without negative effects on the main properties of the plastic article and with evident costs advantages. Furthermore, required outdoor exposure lifetimes for different articles and different environmental conditions can be modulated with the incorporation of the appropriate additive loading in the plastic and with combinations of selected stabilizers. Mulch films, small tunnel films, banana bags and sleeves, direct covers, non-woven, ropes, twines and pots are convenient agricultural applications for this technology. ENVIROCARE products induce plastic degradation following a two steps mechanism: first the plastic is photo- and thermo-oxidized during the outdoor exposure; once the degradation process has been activated by light or heat, ENVIROCARE acts by increasing the degradation rate and degradation continues until the article is totally degraded. Since degradation is both photolytically and thermally triggered, degradation occurs both at the surface and in the soil. Experimental laboratory results allow the assessment of the contribution of different important parameters - i.e. type of polymer, type of article, presence of other stabilizers/additives or pigments, different environmental conditions- on the control of the article lifetime and degradation. Field exposure in different environments integrates the test results and allows for the design of the additive systems adapted to the specific needs.