“Bio-Compostable Compound” by SCGC GREEN POLYMER™

"No one is too small to make a better world."

Because it is not the responsibility of an individual to change the world, but of "everyone" to make it a better place.

As evidenced by the news, the world has been experiencing a series of natural disasters throughout the years. These have shown that global warming has come closer to everyone than expected as a result of human actions that have impacted the environment and all living beings on the planet. This has raised the question of how we can better care for our planet so that future generations can inherit a more livable world.

As a leader in the petrochemical businesses, SCG Chemicals or SCGC is well aware of long-standing environmental issues. Such realization has prompted the development of environmentally-friendly plastics that are quickly compostable and non-harmful to the environment. The strategy contributes to the sustainability of ecosystems and natural resources.

Reducing consumption levels alone may not be sufficient to address the global challenges of plastic waste management. Another solution that should be pursued in parallel to alleviate the problem is to accelerate the biodegradation process of plastic waste by using compostable plastics that exhibit unique properties from conventional plastics.

What are compostable plastics? How are they compostable?

Bio-compostable plastics is a type of biodegradable plastics that breaks into carbon dioxide, water, organic compounds, and biomass under appropriate environmental circumstances, leaving no residues that are harmful to plants and animals and are environmentally benign. In other words, if bio-compostable plastics are in the proper state, they can be completely biodegradable. The end products can be used to plant plants or trees while remaining non-toxic to the environment.

Future with Compostable Plastics

Bio-compostable plastics with comparable properties to conventional plastics has gained wide attention and acceptance in a broader spectrum. At the same time, countries have become acutely aware of environmental issues, prompting them to enact domestic regulations, such as China's announcement that all shopping bags must be compostable plastics. The policy went into effect in 2021 and has been piloted in five major cities before full nationwide implementation within 2023. Countries in many continents, including the European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, have similar regulations in place.

Nevertheless, based on what has been said, this is just the first chapter. In the future, regulations will become increasingly strict. Besides the collaboration of numerous countries, a commitment to future development and innovation will make compostable plastics an integral part of the world to support the sustainable mitigation of environmental challenges.

SCGC’s Certified Innovative Compostable Plastics

SCGC has its major mission of becoming a "Chemicals Business for Sustainability" and is committed to continual product development based on the circular economy concept. SCGC has recently developed the bio-compostable compound resin BIOC01FN grade, under the brand "SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM," produced with a unique formulation with particular film-forming properties for the production of compostable bag products used in the household and industrial sectors. The innovation enhances the production’s convenience and efficiency because it comes with comprehensive features that meet the needs of manufacturers and users.

SCGC’s innovative compostable plastic resin has been certified by the world's leading institution, DIN CERTCO, based in Germany, for being industrial compostable at 60 degrees Celsius, converting to carbon dioxide, water, and biomass in 180 days without leaving residues in the environment. Furthermore, the innovation has the ability to contribute to a full and environmentally-friendly recirculating process.

It is yet another innovative plastic alternative that meets the needs of both manufacturers and users and helps alleviate environmental problems. If all sectors understand the properties of each material and choose appropriately with proper handling, we will be able to achieve our goal of managing plastics in a sustainable manner. This way, we can leave a more livable planet to future generations. For more information, please contact greenpolymer@scg.com

Source: https://www.stou.ac.th/Schools/sst/main/KM/KM%20Post/57/BioPlastic.pdf