BEHAVIOR IN SOIL OF POLYETHYLENE FILM AND POLYETHYLENE FILM WITH STARCH ADDITIVE

The ever increasing use of plastic films for the manufacture of common ly used objects, and, therefore, their increasing presence in municipa l solid waste, has, in recent years, made biodegradability a useful ch aracteristic for these products. This study investigates films designa ted biodegradable and examines their actual capacity to biodegrade on burial in soil. The films tested were polyethylene and polyethylene wi th starch based additives and fatty acids to promote biodegradation. T he samples were subjected to the action of microorganisms in soil in t wo ways: under strictly controlled laboratory conditions, and exposed to normal atmospheric conditions. The results cover 7 and 12 months of tests and underline the greater importance of physical agents (light) than biological ones in the degradation process.