Ingevity Corporation (North Charleston, SC, USA) recently announced its Capa thermoplastic grades obtained the OK biodegradable MARINE certification by TÜV Austria Bureau of Inspection and Certification.

OK biodegradable MARINE confirms Capa thermoplastics fully biodegrade in a marine environment within four weeks, prohibiting formation of persistent microplastics and enabling a safer marine ecosystem than traditional plastics made with alternative chemistries.

Used in applications including bags, films, consumer packaging and utensils, Ingevity’s portfolio of Capa thermoplastics becomes one of few bioplastics certified as OK biodegradable MARINE, a distinction requiring materials to achieve complete biodegradation in seawater environments, where much lower temperatures make biodegradability more challenging than land composting conditions. Products tested must biodegrade within twelve weeks to achieve certification.

By fully biodegrading within four weeks, Capa’s certified products enable customers to address marine biodegradability requirements while reducing impact on the marine ecosystem.

“Marine waste is one of the most widespread pollution problems facing the world’s waterways”, said Steve Hulme, senior vice president, Performance Chemicals, and president, Engineered Polymers. “We support the global imperative to advance recycling efforts for plastic, and, for our part, offer solutions that help plastics biodegrade quickly and completely, whether they be composted, landfilled or, unfortunately, make their way into our oceans”.

Additional certifications verifying the environmental benefits of Capa bioplastics include GreenPla (Japan), Seedling and TÜV Austria OK compost HOME and OK compost INDUSTRIAL.

www.ingevity.com