May 20, 2025 16:11

The Spanish plastics technology center Aimplas has designed a new testing protocol that allows for faster assessment of material biodegradability.
The goal is to help companies optimize materials and products from the earliest stages of development.

Traditional biodegradation tests required by certification standards tend to be slow and costly — often misaligned with the rapid timelines demanded by the market.

The Aimplas approach simulates industrial composting conditions and measures the conversion of polymer carbon into CO2. According to researchers, this new methodology can assess plastic biodegradability in just one-third of the time needed for official tests.

The accelerated test is not intended to replace standardized procedures required for compostability certification, such as those under UNI EN 13432. Instead, it acts as a pre-screening tool that helps companies identify the most promising material samples early on. This significantly reduces the risk of failing certification and helps speed up time to market.

In practical terms, packaging designers and producers of single-use items can obtain early-stage results much faster, pinpoint the most viable formulations and refine additives and compounds before committing to formal certification processes.

© Polimerica -  Reproduction prohibited, all rights reserved