The European Commission has recommended EU-wide measures be taken against oxo-degradable plastics. The EU institution announced in a report to the European Parliament and the Council that "a process to restrict the use of oxo-plastics in the EU will be started" EU Commission to take action against oxo-degradable plastics. The report addresses the environmental impact of oxo-degradable plastic, including the use of oxo-degradable carrier bags.
Released today, the report defines oxo-degradable plastics as conventional plastics containing additives that accelerate the fragmentation of the material by UV radiation or heat. "There is general agreement amongst both the scientific community and industry that in open environments oxidising additives will accelerate the fragmentation of traditional polymers. However, for none of these environments has a full biodegradation process been documented," the report said. "In the absence of conclusive evidence of a beneficial effect on the environment and indeed indications to the contrary, given the related misleading claims to consumers and risks of resulting littering behaviour, EU wide measures should be considered," the Commission report concludes.
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