{"id":5096,"date":"2025-10-16T08:38:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T06:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/?p=5096"},"modified":"2025-10-09T14:39:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T12:39:35","slug":"biologischer-abbau-von-kunststoffen-unterschiede","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/archiv\/biologischer-abbau-von-kunststoffen-unterschiede\/","title":{"rendered":"Not Everything Dissolves"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Understanding the Differences in Biodegradation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When people hear \u201cbiodegradable plastic,\u201d they often imagine that it simply disappears. But biodegradation is far from a simple process. It depends on many factors \u2013 especially the environment in which the material ends up at the end of its life cycle.<\/p>

The BioSinn paper <\/strong><\/a>by the nova-Institute<\/a> makes this very clear: not all materials degrade in the same way. Temperature, humidity, oxygen levels, microorganisms, and even the pH of the surrounding environment determine how fast (or slow) biodegradation occurs. Whether a material disappears within weeks or lingers for years depends heavily on whether it ends up in compost,<\/strong>in soil,<\/strong>in freshwater<\/strong> or in the ocean<\/strong> .<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Industrial Compost \u2013 Controlled Conditions, Fast Degradation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Industrial composting facilities provide ideal conditions: around 60 \u00b0C, high moisture, plenty of oxygen, and a thriving population of microorganisms. Under these controlled circumstances, biodegradable plastics such as PLA, PBAT, or PBS can fully decompose within a few weeks.
However, these conditions are rarely found in nature. Products certified under DIN EN 13432<\/strong> must reach at least 90% degradation within six months \u2013 but only under industrial composting conditions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Home Compost \u2013 Natural Processes, Slower Degradation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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A home compost pile tells a different story. Temperatures and moisture levels fluctuate with the seasons, and microbial activity is lower. As a result, degradation happens much more slowly.
Products labeled \u201cOK Compost HOME\u201d<\/strong> are specifically designed for these mild conditions, breaking down at temperatures below 30 \u00b0C over the course of up to 12 months.
So a \u201cbiodegradable\u201d product is not automatically suitable<\/strong> for home composting \u2013 only certified materials truly are.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Biologischer\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Soil \u2013 A Living but Variable Ecosystem<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Soil is a living, breathing system \u2013 but it varies greatly. Microbial density, moisture, and temperature can differ widely between agricultural land, forest soils, and urban areas.
In agricultural soil, biodegradation can occur relatively efficiently thanks to oxygen and microbial activity. But in forest soils or compacted urban ground, conditions are far less favorable.
Products certified as \u201cOK biodegradable SOIL\u201d or according to DIN EN 17033 (for example, mulch films) are designed to fully degrade in soil within up to 24 months.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Freshwater \u2013 Slow and Seasonal Degradation<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Rivers, lakes, and ponds have lower temperatures (0\u201335 \u00b0C) and far fewer microorganisms compared to compost or soil. As a result, biodegradation is significantly slower.
Only a few materials currently carry the \u201cOK biodegradable WATER\u201d label, which requires 90% degradation within 56 days under freshwater conditions \u2013 a demanding benchmark that most plastics cannot meet.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Saltwater \u2013 The Ultimate Challenge<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Marine environments are the toughest test for biodegradation. Low temperatures, high salinity, and a lack of active fungi or bacteria mean that plastics can persist for decades.
While there are standards such as ASTM D6691<\/strong> and certifications like \u201cOK biodegradable MARINE\u201d,<\/strong>only a handful of materials currently meet these requirements. Developing marine-degradable materials remains one of the biggest technical challenges \u2013 and an important task for the future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why These Differences Matter<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The claim \u201cbiodegradable = eco-friendly\u201d is too simplistic. A material that breaks down perfectly in industrial compost may persist for years in soil or water.
That\u2019s why it\u2019s essential to match the material\u2019s biodegradation profile to its real-world disposal environment. A home-compostable capsule doesn\u2019t belong in the ocean, and an industrially compostable film shouldn\u2019t end up on farmland.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We develop biodegradable natural fiber composites that are purpose-designed for specific environments \u2013 such as home-compostable coffee capsules <\/a>or biodegradable tree shelters. This ensures that our materials degrade where they actually remain \u2013 and don\u2019t turn into microplastics.<\/p>

Biodegradation isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all solution. It\u2019s about choosing the right material for the right environment. Anyone developing sustainable products must understand these differences \u2013 and act where recycling stops, and nature begins.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The complete BioSinn<\/a> study can be found here:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBioSinn<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Josephine Donner<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Please do not hesitate to contact Josephine Donner for any further information!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedin<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tEnvelope<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPhone<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Biologisch abbaubar ist nicht gleich biologisch abbaubar. Erfahre, warum sich Kunststoffe in Erde, Kompost, S\u00fc\u00df- oder Salzwasser ganz unterschiedlich verhalten \u2013 und was das f\u00fcr nachhaltige Produkte bedeutet.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ocean_post_layout":"full-screen","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"","ocean_second_sidebar":"","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"on","ocean_display_header":"on","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"","ocean_custom_header_template":"","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"on","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"on","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"","ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[34,54,128,147,71,146],"class_list":["post-5096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-compounds","tag-biologisch-abbaubar","tag-biowerkstoffe","tag-forstwirtschaft","tag-mikroplastik-vermeiden","tag-nachhaltiger-naturfaserwerkstoff","tag-nova-institut","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5096"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5103,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5096\/revisions\/5103"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.golden-compound.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","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