Degradable Plastics

Many of the existing, new and beneficial products that meet our current and future needs are made of plastic. Degradable plastics can give us increased flexibility in the design of materials to make products better-suited to their intended use and also minimise any detrimental impact on the environment when that products intended use has finished.

At end-of-life, products made from degradable plastic need to degrade in the right place, at the right time and in the right end environment.

For this to happen, industry needs to use clear, accurate and consistent information. When selecting a material, designers and manufacturers must consider a product's end environment and base their selection on sound science that includes proof of compliance to standards that can be independently verified.

Consumers and governments must be assured that performance claims can be met and that and product labelling is clear, accurate and honest. This is product stewardship at work.

PACIA and the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW) have a partnership to improve the understanding and use of degradable plastics. This partnership delivers a product stewardship program for degradable plastics and includes:

• A guide and commitment document
• A verification system for claims made about products
• Development of Australian Standards
• A degradable plastics website\

Degradable Plastics Website

The Department of the Environment and Water Resources hosts a website that provides a range of helpful information on degradable plastics. You can find details on the development of Australian Standards, publications of interest and other information which helps raise public awareness.

• Australian Government: Degradable Plastics in Australia website