China Technical association of China’s Shandong Province releases evaluation standards for naturally degradable plastic products

Technical association of China’s Shandong Province releases evaluation standards for naturally degradable plastic products

The standards’ product evaluation system uses two layers of attributes that are called “Class I indicators” and “Class II indicators”, respectively. The Class I indicators consists of the resources, energy, environment and quality attributes. Ecologically degradable plastic products may be called “green products” if they meet the requirements on these indicators, which are listed in the table below.

Class I indicator Class II indicator Unit Criterion Evaluation basis/bases
Resources attributes Water recycling rate % ≥ 95
  • Self-declaration by companies
  • Records and calculation basis submitted by companies
  • On-the-spot inspection and/or sample inspection based on the production processes inspection report, statistics report and original records for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the data, depending on the circumstances
  • Verification of evaluation calculation according to the GB/T 7119 standards
  • Valid documents of measuring equipment submitted by companies
Plasticizer mg/kg Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate is not detected. Make an analysis according to the GB/T 22048 standards and submit an analysis report
Energy attribute Total energy consumption per unit product kgce/t ≤ 48 Make an analysis according to the GB/T 2589 standards and submit an analysis report
Environmental attributes Heavy metal content Cadmium mg/kg ≤ 0.5 Digest samples using a high-pressure microwave digestion system and then analyze them using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer according to the GB/T 15337 standards, and submit an analysis report
Lead mg/kg ≤ 50
Mercury mg/kg ≤ 0.5
Chromium mg/kg ≤ 50
Arsenic mg/kg ≤ 5
Copper mg/kg ≤ 50
Nickel mg/kg ≤ 25
Zinc mg/kg ≤ 150
Volatile gases Benzene mg/kg Not detected Make a calculation according to Appendix A of the GB/T 37866 standards and submit an analysis report
Total volatile organic compound (TVOC) mg/kg ≤ 50
Quality attributes Molecular weight Mn ≤ 5000; Mw reduction ≥ 70%; and Mw < 10000 in ≥ 20% of the components Treat test samples according to Table B.1 and then analyze them according to the GB/T 36214.2 and GB/T 36214.4 standards, and submit an analysis report
Carbonyl index ≥ 1.0 Treat test samples according to Table B.1 and then analyze them according to Appendix A, and submit an analysis report
Microbial degradation rate % ≥ 60 Make an analysis according to Appendix B and submit an analysis report
Migration amount mg/dm2 ≤ 5 Make an analysis according to the GB 4806.7 standards and submit an analysis report

 

The full text of the standards (in simplified Chinese) is available at
http://www.ttbz.org.cn/Pdfs/Index/?ftype=st&pms=58113

Author / Responsibility

AOKI Kenji

Senior Consultant, EnviX Ltd.
General Director, E&H Consulting Co., Ltd.

Business Performance

Expertise in EHS (environment, health and safety) consulting in ASEAN region.
- Environmental regulations updating
- Chemical regulations consulting

Background

MSc in Earth Science, The University of Tokyo

AOKI Kenji