Biodegradation Enhancing Masterbatches

EcoPure® is a biodegradation enhancing polymer masterbatch that can be used with most polymers (both petroleum based and bio-based) to enhance end-of-life biodegradability* without compromising existing performance, shelf-life or recyclability of plastics it is blended with.

For the 10+ years the product has been in the market, EcoPure® has been independently lab tested in many polymer types under world recognized biodegradation standards including but not limited to ASTM D5511, ASTM D5526, ASTM D5338, ASTM D5988 and ASTM D6691.

It has also been independently reviewed by organizations such as Keller & Heckman, SGS, Intertek, UL and others for compliance with global safety standards for food contact, footwear & apparel, toy safety, CPSIA, REACH, CONEG, RoHS and many others.

Manufactured in an ISO 9001:2008 facility and with many formulations already developed and in use, EcoPure® has a high quality, ready-made solution for most customers trying to meet sustainability and circular economy goals. EcoPure® can also be custom formulated for those clients requiring special resin compatibility requirements.

Product Application

These masterbatches do not negatively affect the manufacturing process and is available in forms specific for use in most plastic resin types. 99% of household or industrial plastic goods can benefit from these masterbatches.   We can also work with you to help design custom products to be compatible with your unique resin types and/or manufacturing processes.

The masterbatches also do not affect quality, strength or other physical properties. The masterbatch ingredients bond to the molecular structure of the plastic without altering the plastic’s positive attributes.  Plastics blended with these masterbatches have an identical shelf-life as plastic products without it. Biodegradation* does not begin until the product is placed in a biologically-active end-of-life environment.

Testing

Finished products containing masterbatch are independent 3rd-party tested according to various ASTM test methods for biodegradation* that meet user requirements.

* Disclaimer: Biodegradation metrics for plastic materials enhanced with EcoPure® masterbatches are determined strictly according to standardized laboratory test methods (including applicable ASTM and ISO protocols) specific to controlled, biologically active waste environments. Actual real-world biodegradation outcomes[or behavior] vary significantly based on the structural characteristics characteristics of the finished product, material thickness, mass configuration, and localized environmental variables including microbial population density, solid content, temperature, and moisture levels.

In accordance with international advertising and environmental marketing standards, product performance claims must be confined strictly to the exact numerical results achieved within the specific test duration and shall not be used to substantiate unqualified “biodegradable” or “eco-friendly” claims. Testing documentation must explicitly disclose the net percentage of gaseous carbon evolution achieved by both the test sample and the control reference sample at the formal conclusion of the test. Data shall not be extrapolated, projected, or modeled beyond the actual, completed timeline of the laboratory test.

California: (Public Resources Code § 42357): California completely prohibits selling any plastic product or packaging labeled with the terms “biodegradable,” “degradable,” or “decomposable.” It bars any text, imagery, or scientific references—including specific ASTM or ISO test numbers—that imply the item will break down in a landfill or any other environment when directed at consumers. This applies to all sales within or into the state, including internet sales.

Maryland: (Environmental Code § 9-2101): Maryland completely bans express or implied degradation language on plastic products or packaging sold into the state. Citing laboratory test protocols to consumer audiences is restricted and treated as an illegal implied degradation claim.

Minnesota: (Minnesota Statutes § 325E.94): Minnesota bans the manufacture or sale of any plastic product labeled “biodegradable,” “degradable,” or “decomposable,” or relying on implied breakdown mechanisms, unless it meets an authorized, active state-approved standard for rapid environmental assimilation. Citing standard soil or landfill test protocols on consumer packaging does not bypass this ban.

Washington: (Revised Code of Washington § 70A.455): Washington restricts degradability claims on plastic products strictly to items that meet certified compostability standards (such as ASTM D6400 or D6868). All unqualified “biodegradable” claims and implied laboratory-test marketing on non-compostable plastics are prohibited on commercial consumer goods.