INNOVATING A GREENER FUTURE
Imagine being able to custom tailor the lifespan of a product or it’s packaging, to optimally meet both consumer (or client) and environmental needs. For years, scientists have been searching for an effective way to accelerate plastic degradation without harming the environment or compromising functionality. With P-Life oxo-biodegradable technology, that vision is now a reality.
P-Life, short for “Programmable Life”, is an additive that allows manufacturers to custom tailor the life of every plastic product they make, without compromising a shred of performance or functionality. When added to polyolefin polymers, such as polyethylene (PE, LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE) and polypropylene (PP), P-Life creates molecular scissions in the polymer chain, allowing oxygen to bond to the polymer and break it down into smaller and smaller compounds, which can be naturally consumed by microorganisms, which convert the compounds into organic biomass. This results is a plastic product that will begin to degrade in a few years (or even months) after its use, instead of thousands of polluting the earth for centuries. Depending on the concentration of P-Life added to the plastic product when it is fabricated, we can even custom tailor the useful life of the product before biodegradation occurs… so for single use products such as sandwich bags or food packaging, the product can be programmed to biodegrade in a matter of months, whereas a shampoo bottle, which may need to last for 5-10 years, can be programmed to stay intact longer. For the first time, corporations can operate ethically and heighten their brand’s eco-conscious profile, while still delivering their clients and consumers the uncompromising performance they deserve and expect.
TWO-STAGE DEGRADATION
P-Life Oxo-biodegradable plastics undergo a two-stage degradation.
Stage 1 - “Oxidative Degradation”
P-Life Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics start to degrade once they are disposed in the natural environment after completion of their lifetime as plastic products. It is called Oxidative Degradation enhanced by P-Life catalytic reaction. As a result of this, the oxidative reaction leads to a chain scission of polyolefin polymers matrix and the production of low molecular mass oxidative products such as carboxylic acids, alcohol etc.
Stage 2 - “Biodegradation”
The low molecular mass oxidation products in the process of degradation Step 1 are going to be bio-assimilated gradually in soil or a bio-active composting environment. It is called Biodegradation (or Mineralization). Finally, they are converted into CO2, H2O and biomass as the final remnant
TESTING
P-Life has been extensively tested to ensure that the functions correctly .The SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden (“SP”) performed SP Method SPCR 141 Appendix 4 “Polymeric Waste degradable by abiotic and subsequent biological degradation (A + B Degradation)- Requirements and test Methods.” SP concluded that the test material (LDPE film containing P-Life ) fulfills all the requirements of SPCR 141 appendix 4, which is in accordance with ASTM D6954.
P-Life is the only oxo-biodegradable additive in the world to have passed this test and is the only product of its kind to unequivocally prove 100% biodegradation.
P-Life successfully passed Tier 1,2 and 3 testing
Tier 1 - Biodegradability reaches 91% within 24 months in soil and still increasing.
Tier 2 - Biodegradability is > 60% after 607 days in soil and still increasing.
Tier 3 - Germination and biomass is ≥ 90% for all plants compared to controls.
THE BENEFITS
Oxo-biodegradable additives are the only available solution in the marketplace that allow manufacturers to seamlessly and affordably reimagine all of their plastic products in eco friendly versions without compromising performance or durability. P-Life is the only fully certified, turnkey solution that allows manufacturers to integrate biodegradable technology without changing their manufacturing infrastructure, redesigning their products, or drastically affecting their bottom line. P-Life is a revolutionary product that was designed to work seamlessly with existing plastic manufacturing techniques, and be recyclable and biodegradable at the same time. Oxo-biodegradable plastics are highly effective and easy to introduce into existing product lines.
Economic: Degradable plastics can be produced at a low cost because only a small amount of P-Life is needed. (around 1% for most products)
Quality Control: The degradation period can be controlled by adjusting the amount of P-Life used in the product.
Retention of physical properties: The characteristics of traditional plastics are not changed by the addition of P-Life.
Workability: P-Life works with traditional manufacturing techniques making it easy to add to existing products.
Safety: P-Life uses raw materials that have received approval from the FDA and comply with the RoHS Directive.!
PRODUCT APPLICATION
Our product comes in master batch pellet form and is customizable with the exact concentration of additive necessary to accommodate your product’s intended shelf life. In this form it is very easy for blow-molders and injection-molders to work with. They simply mix it in with other processing aids in the extruder directly after the reactor. It is then blow-molded or injection-molded as normal into the desired end product.
This process removes the cost burden of having to add an additive material at the later converter stages, which would involve another more costlier step in the manufacturing process. No special or new machinery is needed to handle our additive. It is treated very much like other plastic additives such as colorants, flame-retardants, and stabilizers, and is very easy for most manufacturers to work with.
Applications
Food Packaging: Water Bottles, Energy Drink Bottles, Soda Bottles, Food Packaging, Food Trays, Lunch Box, Roll Bags, Shrink wrap
Various Bags: Document Bags, Shopping Bags, Garbage Bags, Coin Bags, Seedling Bags, Courier Bags, Bank Security Bags, Ziplock/Sandwich Bags
Materials for Packaging: Loose Fills, Foamed Sheets, Courier Bags, PP Straps, PP Ropes, Air cushions
Others: Stationery Goods, Card Holders, Sheets for Civil Engineering, Plastic Sand Bags, Seedling Bags, Agricultural Films
COUNTRIES BACKING OXO'S
