AIMPLAS has developed a methodology that enables the biodegradability of plastic materials to be assessed three times faster than conventional testing methods. This allows companies to streamline decision-making when developing compostable materials.
AIMPLAS
The plastics industry is moving towards a more sustainable model, driven by circular economy principles and innovation in biodegradable and compostable materials. However, conventional biodegradation tests, as required by current regulations, are time-consuming and costly, limiting companies’ ability to explore new formulations from the early stages of development.
To address this challenge, AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, has developed a methodology that enables the biodegradability of plastic materials to be evaluated in just one-third of the time needed for standardised tests.
The new accelerated biodegradation test subjects materials to simulated industrial composting conditions to measure the conversion of polymeric carbon into CO₂. Thanks to this approach, companies can obtain preliminary results in significantly shorter timeframes, allowing them to identify the most promising formulations early on, implement re-engineering processes in formulation and additive development, and optimise resources before entering official certification procedures.
A strategic pre-certification tool
Although this test does not replace the standardised tests required for compostable product certification (as defined by UNE-EN 13432 and related standards), it serves as a technical and strategic filter to identify the most promising samples. This reduces risk and accelerates the path to certification in line with international standards such as EN-ISO 14855, among others.