The plastics industry is moving towards a more sustainable model, driven by circular economy principles and innovation in biodegradable and compostable materials. However, conventional biodegradation tests, as required by current regulations, are time-consuming and costly, limiting companies’ ability to explore new formulations from the early stages of development.
To address this challenge, AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, has developed a methodology that enables the biodegradability of plastic materials to be evaluated in just one third of the time needed for standardised tests. This innovation represents a strategic breakthrough for companies, enabling faster and more efficient industrial and commercial decision-making.
The new accelerated biodegradation test subjects materials to simulated industrial composting conditions in order to measure the conversion of polymeric carbon into COâ‚‚. Thanks to this approach, companies can obtain preliminary results in significantly shorter timeframes, allowing them to identify the most promising formulations early on, implement re-engineering processes in formulation and additive development, and optimise resources before entering official certification procedures.
This solution positions AIMPLAS as a leader in the development of advanced tools to drive sustainability in the plastics sector, while providing real value to companies committed to innovation and environmental responsibility.
A strategic pre-certification tool
Although this test does not replace the standardised tests required for compostable product certification (as defined by UNE-EN 13432 and related standards), it serves as a technical and strategic filter to identify the most promising samples. This reduces risk and accelerates the path to certification in line with international standards such as EN-ISO 14855, among others.
