Products : EVRgreen™ Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) FAQs
• What is EVRgreen™ EPS?
EVRgreen™ EPS is EPS that contains EcoPure® homogenously distributed throughout the resin. EcoPure® is an enzymatic catalyst that promotes biodegradation in certain substrates, including EPS when disposed of in a biologically active landfill.
Cups made from EVRgreen™ expandable polystyrene (EPS) have been found to biodegrade 14.2% in the first 133 days of testing under conditions that simulate a biologically active landfill,* using the ASTM D5511-11 test method.
*Present tests run at >48% solids content are representative of wetter landfills, such as in the Southeastern US. Biodegradation rates may be lower in other areas of the US, depending on the landfill’s moisture level.
• Isn't polystyrene dangerous?
No, Polystyrene plastic has been used in foodservice products for more than five decades. Based on numerous scientific tests over this time, government safety agencies have determined that polystyrene is safe for this use. Polystyrene food service products meet the standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Does EVRgreen™ EPS contain GMOs?
No, EVRgreen™ EPS does not contain genetically modified organisms.
• How does the biodegradation work?
Microorganisms found in biologically active landfills interact with EVRgreen™’s makeup to break down the molecular structure of the polystyrene foam. The process of biodegradation in plastic is similar to that of other organic materials such as food waste and paper.
• Why doesn’t PS/EPS degrade naturally?
EPS that is not treated with a biodegradation-promoting additive will eventually biodegrade in a biologically active landfill but the process could take decades or more. The addition of EcoPure® accelerates the biodegradation process.
• Is it true that nothing biodegrades in a landfill?
Biodegradation does occur in landfills, especially in those that are biologically managed. Most landfills today are biologically active and are capturing methane biogas to the maximum extent possible (“capped”). In 2009, over 550 landfills were already converting the captured methane biogas into energy and more than13 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was produced from these EPA LMOPs (Landfill Methane Outreach Projects).
The old technology of the “dry tomb” landfill is quickly disappearing, and landfills today are managed as a resource. See the links below for more information on today’s landfills:
http://www.epa.gov/wastes/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/msw2009rpt.pdf
http://www.epa.gov/outreach/lmop/projects-candidates/index.html
• What will be left after biodegradation of EVRgreen™?
Based on scientific information available to date, the biodegradation of EVRgreen™ proceeds by a variety of well-documented biological processes. When disposed of in a landfill these processes ultimately yield approximately 85% of the original product weight as biogas (mostly methane with a little carbon dioxide) and approximately 15% of the original product weight as a topsoil-like mass, that biodegrades no further. This breakdown is typical of most degradable organic materials.
• How long will it take EVRgreen™ to biodegrade?
Based on current testing, there is a high probability that when disposed of in a wetter biologically active landfill (such as those landfills found in the southeastern United States), EVRgreen™ could biodegrade in a 3-5 year period.
• Isn’t methane, a "greenhouse gas", produced when biodegradation occurs in a landfill? Isn’t it bad for the environment?
Methane is a greenhouse gas; however, it is also a viable energy source. Most landfills today are managed to promote and accelerate the generation of greenhouse gases; so, they can be captured for destruction &/or energy recovery, as well as free up landfill space. Some of the successes of the EPA’s LMOP (Landfill Outreach Program) are offsetting the use of nonrenewable resources and improving air quality by controlling the emissions from landfills. The 13 billion kilowatt-hours of generation electricity reported for 2009 equates to the green house gas emissions from more than 17 million cars annually.
http://www.epa.gov/lmop/documents/pdfs/overview.pdf
• Does EcoPure® impact shelf life?
No, the additive will not impact shelf life.
• How does the use of EcoPure® in EPS impact its recyclability?
EPS products made with EcoPure® continue to be recyclable in the few communities which offer recycling facilities for EPS products.
• Is it safe for EVRgreen™ to be incinerated for energy recovery?
EVRgreen™ can be safely incinerated for energy recovery like other PS/EPS articles used in disposable food service and packaging.
• Is EVRgreen FDA approved?
Polystyrene foam has been considered safe for direct food contact applications by the FDA for decades. The addition of EcoPure® to polystyrene does not alter the product’s compliance with FDA regulations.
• Doesn’t the use of biodegradable products increase littering?
It is more plausible that people who purchase biodegradable products are environmentally conscious and therefore less likely to litter. In a 2009 Zoomerang survey, 97% of respondents indicated that a bottle labeled biodegradable would not make them more inclined to litter.
• How does product made with EcoPure® hold up to heat?
The addition of EcoPure® to EPS will not alter the product’s heat tolerance nor will it affect its superior insulating characteristics.
• What tests have you conducted so far and what have been the results?
The ASTM D5511-11 test method measures biodegradability in conditions that simulate a biologically active landfill. In this method, the inculum media must contain at least 20% solids. The actual conditions used for EVRgreen™ testing were +48% solids. And results to date have shown EVRgreen™ to biodegrade approximately 14.2% in 133 days using the ASTM D5511-11 test method.
• How does your product differ from a bio-based product?
Bio-based plastics also referred to as bioplastics, use biomass resources (such as corn starch or vegetable oil) as the initial raw material(s). Traditional “synthetic” plastics are made from petroleum derived raw materials, which are generally the refining bi-products of fuel production.
A common misnomer is that all bioplastics are biodegradable, which is not always the case. Some bioplastics will biodegrade; others are as inert as standard synthetic polymers.
Another misconception is that all bioplastics require less energy/nonrenewable resources to produce. According to the recent life cycle analysis published by the American Chemical Council comparing EPS foam, PLA (polylactic acid) and paper disposable foodservice items, EPS foam requires a lower net expended energy to produce:
http://plasticfoodservicefacts.com/Life-Cycle-Inventory-Foodservice-Products
• What is EcoPure®? Is it safe?
EcoPure is a proprietary blend of organic materials that does not modify the base resin to which it is added. The latter retains all its original properties and shelf life. EcoPure® is safe and is FDA approved. For more information on EcoPure®, follow the link below:
http://www.bio-tec.com/
• Will products made with EcoPure® look or feel any different from the EPS products I am using today?
No, EPS products made with EcoPure® will continue to maintain the same superior performance characteristics of EPS such as hot and cold insulation, performance temperature range and strength.
Important: While the information and data contained in this bulletin are presented in good faith and believed to be reliable, it does not constitute a part of our terms and conditions of sale unless specifically incorporated in our Order Acknowledgment. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute a warranty, expressed or implied, that said information of data is correct or that the products described are merchantable or fit for a particular purpose, or that said information, data, or products can be used without infringing patents of third parties.
