Evaluation of the disintegrability of eco-friendly packaging under laboratory and pilot-scale composting conditions

Abstract

The growing production demand and promising applications of biodegradable plastic have spurred interest in assessing the biodegradability of this material. Disintegration is the first stage of the biodegradation process and therefore it affects the most important on the biodegradability of materials. This research focuses on evaluating and comparing the disintegration ability of eco-friendly packaging, which is being produced and commonly consumed in Vietnam, under industrial composting conditions at laboratory scale according to TCVN 12409:2020 standard and pilot scale according to TCVN 12408:2020 standard. The variations in temperature, humidity, pH, and visual appearance were monitored during the composting process. The results showed that the disintegration behaviours of eco-friendly packaging are similar at both scales. The disintegration rate of eco-friendly packaging at both testing scales reached over 90% after 84 days.