CERTIFICATION OF BIODEGRADABILITY
The foam center of The Gilman Brothers Company BIODEGRADABLE products is formulated with bio resins that cause the polystyrene foam to break down when disposed of in a commercial solid waste treatment facility. The bio resins transform the structure of the polystyrene, which attracts microorganisms that metabolize and neutralize the plastic. The resulting residue is an inert biomass that is safe for the environment. Depending on disposal conditions, this process requires from 1 to 5 years.
TESTING METHODS: The biodegradation properties of material samples used in the manufacture of Insite® and Duraplast® BIODEGRADABLE Foamboard were tested using ASTM D5338.98, “Standard Test Method for Determining the Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions”, which is equivalent to the ISO 14855 method, “Evaluation of the Ultimate Aerobic Biodegradability and Disintegration of Plastics under Controlled Composting Conditions”; ASTM5511, “Standard Test Method for Determining the Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under High-Solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions”; and ASTM D5209-91 “Standard Test Method for Determining the Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials in the Presence of Municipal Sewage”.
