Hi all, not sure this is the right place to ask… mods, feel free to do what has to be done if not.
I’m interested is “stone paper” a kind of paper made out of calcium carbonate (from limestone or construction waste) and HDPE (High-density polypropylene).
It’s been advertised as a more eological solution for producing paper as it doesn’t requires to cut down trees and uses much less water and chemicals in the process, compared to traditional paper.
My concern in about HDPE (that represent more or less 20℅ of the final product). Most companies advertise it as a “non-toxic biodegradable” plastic. But I can not find any reliable information to back this up.
I’m then inclined to think it is just green-washing.
but still I’m wondering if anyone could bring some insight about HDPE being biodegrade …
thanks !
HDPE can be recycled (as many thermoplastics can) but once it’s in a matrix of other stuff (say calcium) it get’s really difficult to do so. Also HDPE is not biodegradable. It can break up into microplastic, but I wouldn’t call that exactly enviromentally friendly. Maybe if there are some added enzymes or something…
But you can just use unbleached, recycled paper. Paper is easy to recycle, doen’t require a lot of chemicals (unless you bleach it) and is already one of the most recycled resources.
thanks ! that is usually what I do. Someone offered me a sketch book made of stone paper (it’s actually quite nice to draw on), so I was wondering what to think of it.
Probably just biodegradable in industrial composting facilities unless you add HDPEase enzymes to it to break it down. But perhaps the filler material makes it less dense and easier to break apart, so easier to digest for bacteria, etc…
Almost any organic compound is “biodegradable” given enough time, the right environment, and the right species. But the simple practical answer is no, HDPE is quite non-biodegradable. Researchers are working to identify ways to biodegrade polyethylene-based polymers, and it is possible to a degree (see this review), but naturally these polymers will take hundreds of years to break down. I also found this blog post by a packaging company that addresses the question.
Could you post a specific source of the claim? It may be that they have a more specific explanation of their claim somewhere on the site.
It is tricky to judge because different countries have different rules and standards for when you can apply the “biodegradable” label to a product. And merely claiming that the product is biodegradable without actually placing a label on the product can also be subject to different rules. So it is difficult to figure out what they mean without inspecting the source. Their claim could be based on something like 80% of the material being biodegraded within a specific timeframe, or they could be making a misleading claim based on being “technically” correct and making the claim within an under-regulated context. Or… They could also be making a misleading and illegal claim, possibly not on purpose.
thanks for the clarification ! that clear it up :) I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it advertised several times, but I can’t find the actual claim anymore … I hope I haven’t made this up somehow, otherwise I apologize for the misinformation :/ (I’ll keep looking).
No worries! I wouldn’t be surprised if you did see it. No harm in asking either way!
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is not biodegradable. HDPE is a type of plastic that is known for its durability and resistance to degradation in natural environments. It is often used for items like plastic bottles, containers, and various other products because of its robust properties. However, these same properties that make HDPE plastic so useful also mean that it does not readily break down in the environment.
To clarify, biodegradable materials are substances that can be broken down by natural processes into non-toxic components, such as water, carbon dioxide, and biomass, with the help of microorganisms. HDPE does not meet this criteria, and it can persist in the environment for a very long time if not properly managed through recycling or disposal in a controlled manner.
If you’re looking for more eco-friendly alternatives, you might want to consider materials like PLA (Polylactic Acid) or PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates), which are biodegradable plastics. However, it’s important to note that even biodegradable plastics may not break down in all environments and may require specific conditions to degrade effectively.
