About Ecologo... parent company (Underwriters Laboratory)
Founded in 1988 by the Government of Canada but now recognized world-wide,EcoLogoTM is North America’s largest, most respected environmental standard and certification mark. EcoLogo provides customers – public, corporate and consumer – with assurance that the products and services bearing the logo meet stringent standards of environmental leadership. With THOUSANDS of EcoLogo Certified products, EcoLogo certifies environmental leaders covering a large variety of categories, helping you find and trust the world’s most sustainable products. From website...http://www.ecologo.org/en/
Seems like a good organization and makes sense to have organizations that keep companies honest, however it begs the question, Why would they want to exclude or try to ignore other competing technologies? Maybe just a lack of information?
What am I talking about? Ecologo Standard CCD 126 Plastic Film Products. http://www.ecologo.org/common/assets/criterias/CCD-126.pdf
From Ecologo website.
The requirements of the EcoLogo Plastic Film Products Standard, CCD-126, are intended to recognize products on the market that are environmentally preferable. The criteria are based on a review of currently available life cycle impacts and consideration of the markets and stakeholder input.
Life cycle review, standards development and revision are ongoing processes. As information and technology change, the product category requirements will be reviewed and possibly amended.
At this time, “oxo-degradable” and “oxo-biodegradable” plastic film products will not be allowed to carry the EcoLogo®. Inherent biodegradability by existing standard test methods has not been demonstrated for these products.The EcoLogo®Program reserves the right to consider these products at a later time.
From Ecologo website.
The requirements of the EcoLogo Plastic Film Products Standard, CCD-126, are intended to recognize products on the market that are environmentally preferable. The criteria are based on a review of currently available life cycle impacts and consideration of the markets and stakeholder input.
Life cycle review, standards development and revision are ongoing processes. As information and technology change, the product category requirements will be reviewed and possibly amended.
At this time, “oxo-degradable” and “oxo-biodegradable” plastic film products will not be allowed to carry the EcoLogo®. Inherent biodegradability by existing standard test methods has not been demonstrated for these products.The EcoLogo®Program reserves the right to consider these products at a later time.
CCD-126 covers minimum amounts and types of recycled resins that must be included in applications that wish to have the Ecologo certification and more importantly the requirements set for Biodegradability Claims. The requirements must adhear to ASTM 6400 or EN14995 standards and apply only to composting in municipal and industrial composting facilities. So what this means is, if the films/bags do not make it to one of these facilities then it will not meet the requirements as set out by EcoLogo. What percentage of these bags will actually make it to an industrial composting facility? I am guessing a very small percentage, meaning the rest will go to landfill, recycling or end up as litter. Hang on...compostable bags/films are not recyclable. Now what?
You mean there are times that compostable bags/films may not be the answer or right application?
You mean there are times that compostable bags/films may not be the answer or right application?
Is there another option? Something that should also have the EcoLogo certification? YES!!! Oxo-biodegradable bags/film products. As mentioned above, "The EcoLogo Program has reserved the right to consider at a later time" leading me to believe they do not have all of the proper information. If they did have all information I would hope that a valid and proper decision would have been made long ago. EcoLogo references position paper (or more accurate, a simple article from a magazine) "Oxo-biodegradable" Plastics, Berlin, July 2009, European Bioplastics" I assume their reasoning behind not making Oxo-biodegradable plastics part of their Standard and denying products from carrying the EcoLogo Certification. They are citing an article that has since been successfully refuted along with other known reports such as the Defra report EVO442. There are many papers and reports, well documented and peer reviewed, proving that Oxo-biodegradable products perform as claimed.
Points:
Oxo-biodegradable plastics will not meet the criteria ASTM 6400 for compostable products. This is the only issue, yet Oxo-biodegradable products were not intended to be compostable. They are a very different technology.
However...
Oxo-biodegradable plastics have their own standard ASTM 6954 that does include biodegradation.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics are recyclable.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics can be manufactured meeting all requirements for recycled content with many current applications being manufactured with 100% recycled content.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics do not exceed the heavy metal requirements.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics should be not only considered but fast tracked into the EcoLogo program.
However...
Oxo-biodegradable plastics have their own standard ASTM 6954 that does include biodegradation.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics are recyclable.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics can be manufactured meeting all requirements for recycled content with many current applications being manufactured with 100% recycled content.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics do not exceed the heavy metal requirements.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics should be not only considered but fast tracked into the EcoLogo program.
Different applications are better suited for each technology. Bags/films used for food compost/waste should be compostable allowing it all to be taken to an industrial composting facility and not require separation. Retail shopping bags, trash bags and other single use plastics should be Oxo-biodegradable. It is great when Oxo-biodegradable plastics end up in landfill if this is the intended destination. However, Oxo-biodegradable plastics that end up in a recycling facility can be recycled and made into films or other plastic products. If they don't make it to their intended "end of life" destination and find there way blowing around in the environment....they will oxo-biodegrade, unlike their compostable counterparts that require a facility to biodegrade.
It is time to set aside personal agendas and make decisions based on what is best for consumers, the environment and the future. EcoPoly Solutions is certainly not biased in their comments and believe whole heatedly in and manufacture both Oxo-biodegradable and Compostable resins. Further we feel there is a time and place for each technology. EcoLogo states that they use Stakeholder participation http://www.ecologo.org/en/criteria/publicreview/ yet with all of the information things still remain unchanged. I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt and believe this has not changed because they have not been presented with proper information. I would hope it is not the case of "personal agendas" within UL, EcoLogo or their stakeholders.
On a great note, as I was writing this I confirmed an appointment with an EcoLogo Project Manager and will be meeting with them on July 19, 2012. EcoPoly Solutions plan to have an open conversation about moving this issue forward, fact finding and presenting them with the most comprehensive package of studies and work that has been done and is currently underway in Oxo-biodegradation. Hopefully within a short period of time Oxo-biodegradable products will soon carry the EcoLogo Certification. EcoPoly Solutions will not stop until this is achieved and will continue to keep the public aware of the progress.
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