‫هﻴﺌﺔ اﻹﻣﺎرات ﻟﻠﻤﻮاﺻﻔﺎت واﻟﻤﻘﺎﻳﻴﺲ‬

Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology

(ESMA)

UAE Draft Standard (DS1)

‫ﻣﻮاﺻﻔﺎت وﺧﺼﺎﺋﺺ اآﻴﺎس اﻟﺒﻼﺳﺘﻴﻚ وﻏﻴﺮهﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺨﻠﻔﺎت اﻟﺒﻼﺳﺘﻴﻚ اﻟﻘﺎﺑﻞ ﻟﻠﺘﺤﻠﻞ‬

Standard & Specification for Oxo-biodegradation of Plastic

bags and other disposable Plastic objects

ICS 83.080

This document is a draft UAE standard circulated for comment. It is there for
Subject to change and may not be referred as a standard until approved by the
board of directors .
UAE Standard UAE.S No…./2009

Foreword

Emirates Authority for Standardization & Metrology (ESMA) is the national

standardization body (NSB) and is charged with the responsibility for standardization
activities in UAE. One of ESMA’s main functions is to issue National Standards, and
recommend them to the UAE Cabinet for adoption as Technical Regulations.
ESMA-WG 1, a committee of experts set up by ESMA “For standardization of
degradable plastic” prepared this draft, “Standard & Specification for Oxo-
biodegradation of Plastic bags and other disposable Plastic objects”.
The Steering committee for degradable plastics recommended the adoption of this draft as
UAE. Technical Regulation (Mandatory Standard).

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Introduction

1. Oxo-biodegradable carbon-chain polymers degrade by an oxidation pathway. This is

normally initiated abiotically and the chemical species that are formed have been shown to
subsequently biodegrade rapidly, with the formation of cell biomass and carbon dioxide. The
biodegradation mechanisms of pure oxo-biodegradable hydrocarbon polymers are very
similar to those involved in the biodegradation of naturally occurring material, in particular,
lignocellulose in the form of straw, twigs, sawdust etc.
The Chemical formulation inside oxo-biodegradable plastic breaks the molecular chains and
converts it into a material which is no longer a plastic but can be bio-assimilated by micro-
organisms found in the environment. It therefore simulates the way nature disposes of wastes
such as leaves and straw, but much more quickly.
Biodegradation in the environment is not the same thing as composting. Composting is an
artificial process operated according to a much shorter timescale than the processes of nature.
Standards (such as ASTM D6400 and EN13432) designed for compostable plastic are not
therefore appropriate (except for their eco-toxicity tests) for plastic which is designed to
biodegrade if it gets into the environment

2. The rate of peroxidation (breakdown via atmospheric molecular oxygen) in plastics is

accelerated by transition metal compounds, notably iron, cobalt and manganese, and retarded
by antioxidants. The particular combination of metal ions and antioxidants determines the
rate of the abiotic phase that leads to the formation of low molar-mass
biodegradable chemical species.

3. Although the rate of ultimate bioconversion of polyolefin to carbon dioxide, water and
biomass is not critical for most applications, the pass criteria for this method are no less
than that for the bioconversion of nature’s lignocellulosic wastes, typical of these is straw,
which requires about 10 years to mineralize completely.

4. The environment in the United Arab Emirates, as in the rest of the GCC, presents certain
characteristics particular to the region as for example, an abundance of sunlight (a strong UV
source) and high ambient temperatures – especially during the summer months. The general
sandy topography is not an intensely microbial environment, leaving little or no room for a
purely biotic degradation and soil assimilation processes. This Standard therefore focuses on
the oxo-degradative effects through Thermal and UV degradation under atmospheric
conditions.

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Standard & Specification for Oxo-biodegradation of Plastic bags and

other disposable Plastic objects

1. Scope
1.1 This Standard covers the Regulatory Criteria applicable to all oxo-biodegradable bags,
packaging and disposable articles made from plastic polymers derived from fossil-fuels.
1.2 The items covered by this standard are essentially, but not limited to, flexible shopping
bags and semi-rigid plastic packaging for food, magazines, consumer-durables, garbage bags,
bin-liners for household use, shrink wrap, pallet wrap, cling film etc and other articles
normally used over short periods and subsequently discarded.
1.3 This standard lays down the criteria to be met to prove chemical modification by
oxidative processes under U.A.E. climatic conditions, into oxidized particles that may
subsequently be converted to carbon dioxide, water and biomass, and to ensure that the
residue is below regulated levels of metal concentration.
Note: There is no ISO standard equivalent to this Standard.

2. Referenced standards
All relevant Standards, Guidelines, Tests, and Methodology as outlined in the latest
editions of the following Standards are acceptable as normative documents for the purpose
of compliance with this Standard:
2.1 UAE.S ISO 14851 “Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic
materials in an aqueous medium — Method by measuring the oxygen demand in a closed
respirometer”

2.2 UAE.S ISO 14852 “Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic
materials in an aqueous medium — Method by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide”

2.3 UAE.S ISO 14855-1” Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic
materials under controlled composting conditions — Method by analysis of evolved carbon
dioxide — Part 1: General method”

2.4 UAE.S ISO 14855-2 “Determination of the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic
materials under controlled composting conditions — Method by analysis of evolved carbon
dioxide — Part 2: Gravimetric measurement of carbon dioxide evolved in a laboratory-
scale test”
2.5 UAE.ASTM D 6954 “Standard Guide for Exposing and Testing Plastics that Degrade
in the Environment by a Combination of Oxidation and Biodegradation”

2.6 UAE.S ASTM D 883 “Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics”

2.7 BS 8472 : Method for determining Biodegradability and Non-eco toxicity of Oxo-
Biodegradable Plastics.

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2.8 SPs Certification rules for classification of polymeric waste – SPCR 141 (Swedish
National Testing and Research Institute)

3. Terminology
3.1 This Standard specifically addresses plastic polymers derived from fossil fuels such as
Petroleum Crude Oil and associated or unassociated Natural Gases.

3.2 All other general definitions given in Terminology as outlined in UAE.S ASTM D 883
“Standard Terminology Relating to Plastics”

3.3 CEN/TR 15351 “Plastics - Guide for vocabulary in the field of degradable and
biodegradable polymers and plastic items” are applicable to this Standard.

4. Significance and Use

4.1 Materials made with oxo-biodegradable plastics are intended to show relatively rapid
deterioration (as compared with normal plastics of the same type) of chemical, physical and
mechanical properties when exposed to light, heat, and air after fulfilling their intended
purpose. The purpose of the addition of pro-degradant additives to plastic polymers derived
from fossil fuels is to induce property changes associated with conditions that might be
experienced when the material is discarded as litter, including the effects of sunlight,
moisture, and heat. The exposure used in this practice is not intended to simulate the
deterioration caused by localized weather phenomena such as atmospheric pollution.

4.2 In the U.A.E. environment it is necessary to ensure that the particle size of the degraded
plastic object is such that not only are they not visible, to mitigate unsightly litter, but also to
ensure that the final residue does not add to soil toxicity. As is known from existing studies,
particles of such small sizes are expected to be eventually bio-assimilated rapidly under
appropriate environmental conditions.

5. Test Requirements
5.1 All tests need to be carried out strictly under the protocols laid out in any of the
normative documents.

5.2 All included components such as polymers, organic additives (plasticizers, impact
modifiers, fibers, etc…), inorganic fillers, pigments, stabilizers, pro-oxidants etc shall be
declared to ESMA with chemical/trade name and, where possible, the percentage of each
component shall also be given. None of the included components constituting ≥ 0.1% may
be used if officially classified as environmentally hazardous.

5.3 Abiotic Degradation: An abiotic degradation test shall be performed, to simulate the
degradation processes likely to occur in the U.A.E. disposal environment. The extent of
degradation shall be evaluated by measuring the loss in mechanical properties, decrease in
molecular weight, and determination of gel content.
Requirements shall be:
• Average molecular weight <5,000 Daltons.

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• Gel Fraction <5%

• Elongation at break ≤5% of the original value.
The abiotic degradation test must proceed so that in 4 weeks the resulting material
demonstrates biodegradable residue as stated above.

5.4 The residual material from the abiotic tests shall not create harmful or persistent
residues as measured by its maximum metal concentration as follows:

Mg/kg Mg/kg
Element of dry substance Element of dry substance
Zn 150 Cr 50
Cu 50 Mo 1
Ni 25 Se 0.75
Cd 0.5 As 5
Pb 50 F 100
Hg 0.5

5.5 A sample of the residual material from the abiotic degradation test shall be dissolved in
an appropriate nonreactive solvent and the gel phase, if any, separated by filtration, dried,
and the weight ratio of gel to the total sample established. This is regarded as the
nondegradable fraction of the polymer, and should be ≤ 5%.

5.6 A portion of the residual material from the abiotic degradation test shall be tested for
ultimate aerobic biodegradability under controlled conditions in a laboratory environment
by analysis of evolved carbon dioxide.

5.7 60 % of the organic carbon must be converted to carbon dioxide within 6 months.
Based on the test results the anticipated storage life and service life shall be reported at 8.2
below.

5.8 It is a requirement that at least three replicates of each material evaluated be exposed
to allow for statistical evaluation of results.

6. Certification
6.1 Certificates shall be issued or refused by ESMA, having regard to the test results
reported under paragraph 8 below.

6.2 The validity period for an achieved (end) product certificate is five years.

6.3 When a material or a product entirely or partially consists of already approved

components (the certificate still being valid and registered with ESMA), parts of the test
scheme may be excluded for these components after consultation with ESMA.
However in the case of end-products a report including results of disintegration testing,
physical-chemical characterization and information about the arrival of reference material
to ESMA must be included in the application for certification.

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6.4 A report that provides the basis for application for certification must not at the time of
application be dated more than 36 months earlier.

7. Test Reports.
The reporting section must clearly and objectively include the proposed real world
applications and disposal environments for which the plastic end product is being
developed, with indicated exposure and lifetime expectations. The report must identify the
following:
7.1 Resin grade plus the commercial name of the pro-degradant additive formulation and
percentage of additive inclusion
Note: Identification of test samples needs to be sufficient to inform readers of the
commercial identification of the additives and their availability in the marketplace.

7.2 The proposed disposal medium for the plastic must be indicated, with anticipated
service-life and storage-life noted.

7.3 The exposure conditions such as temperature, time, moisture and oxygen
concentrations shall be reported.

7.4 The exposure conditions and time of exposure (kJ/m²·nm at 340 nm) to radiation, if
used, must be recorded.

7.5 Molecular weight, tensile elongation and percentage of gels of the samples before and
after the indicated time for abiotic test exposure shall be reported.

7.6 Mass before an after the test shall be reported.

7.7 Extent of biodegradation, expressed as a percentage of theoretical carbon, to be

reported.

7.8 Percentage of gel or other non-degradable fractions, to be reported.

7.9 Volatiles produced by the oxidation process, to be reported.

7.10 Additions of inoculants and moisture and their timing and any additional mixing
procedures to be reported.

7.11 Regulated metal concentrations are to be reported.

8. Certification & Verification

8.1 Certification requires confirmation by an independent accredited third party that a
material or product fulfils the requirements specified in this Standard.

8.2 All tests are required to be performed at accredited laboratories as per ISO guidelines.

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9. Use of Certification marks.

9.1 After approval by ESMA, manufacturers shall use the symbols prescribed by ESMA to
mark their polymeric material and polymeric product as being oxo-biodegradable.

9.2 Continuous quality control is to be done by the manufacturer. ESMA shall inspect the
manufacturer’s quality control system during visits to the production site. Unannounced
inspections at the production site or at locations where the product is for sale may also be
made by ESMA. The main purpose for the control is to ascertain that the quality
requirements for certified waste management of the polymeric materials or products are
fulfilled. During these inspections, samples may be taken for subsequent testing.

10. Useful Life.

10.1 All articles meant for use by consumers, and certified to be oxo-biodegradable, shall
carry a “use by ….” marking so as to forewarn the consumer about the useful life after
which the article is liable to start degrading.

10.2 The useful life should be a minimum of 6 months in storage away from direct sources
of light and heat, and of a further 6 months in use.