BASF, a chemical company, announced that it has successfully completed a pilot project with compostable bags along with Berliner Stadtreinigung (BSR), a municipal waste management company, in Berlin, Germany.
BSR and BASF: Pilot project with compostable bags for biodegradable waste successfully completed in Berlin
The project has used organic waste bags that are made from Ecovio FS, a new biodegradable plastic developed by BASF. Over 21,000 households in two German districts, Hellersdorf and Prenzlauer Berg, have partipated in the survey, which was conducted in September 2011. Each household is distributed with a test package comprising 10 compostable bags. The results have shown that about 80% of the households were satisfied with the use of the organic waste bags. In addition, the rate of incorrect waste disposal fell by 37% in Prenzlauer Berg and by about 67% in Hellersdorf.
The air-permeable Ecovio plastic-based bags have made the disposal of biodegradable waste easier, cleaner, and more hygienic. The bags ensure that the garbage dries quickly and produces less odor compared to conventional bags. They also prevent entry of insects. In addition, they are easy to handle and eliminate the need for washing and cleaning the container every day. The Ecovio compostable bags meet the EN 13432 standards for compostable plastics.
Ecovio FS is made of Ecoflex FS bio-based plastic and polylactic acid (PLA), which are derived from corn starch through fermentation process. The bags utilized in the BASF and BSR joint pilot project comprise renewable raw materials, which make the degradation process easier. The composting process converts Ecovio bags into biomass, water and carbon dioxide using microorganisms.