must be degradable, so the resin is commonly used in that packaging. In fact, today, all plastic beverage rings sold in the U.S. In developing D5208, one material, ethylene-carbon monoxide (E/CO) resin, was found to be especially effective at photodegradation, deteriorating relatively rapidly when exposed to light, heat, and water. “Tensile evaluation was developed and round-robin tested to ensure proper documentation of this type of degradation.” “ASTM D5208 was developed with Union Carbide, Triangle Labs of North Carolina, ITW - Hi Cone of Illinois, and Advanced Materials Center Labs cooperating in a joint venture to develop a controlled, accelerated test to simulate actual outdoor conditions,” Walling comments. To control the environmental impact of plastic bags and beverage rings, the subcommittee developed the practice for fluorescent ultraviolet exposure of photodegradable plastics (D5208). Marine life consumption of polyethylene carry-out bags and wrappings, as well as both sea and land animals becoming entangled in beverage rings, became major issues in the public eye, says Ronald Walling, president of the Advanced Materials Center Inc. Originally, the group focused on environmental concerns such as composting biodegradable polymers and paper alongside food, yard, and agricultural waste, and the need for compostable diapers. Subcommittee D20.96 then began the hard work of developing these much-needed standards to establish degradability and biodegradability and assess the impact of degraded plastics.

These were the early days of environmentally degradable plastics, with no standard practices, test methods, or specifications. The D20.96 subcommittee organized in 1990 at a time when manufacturers boasted of making eco-friendly products without any verification of their claims. A key group working to alleviate these problems and support safe plastics disposal is ASTM International’s subcommittee on environmentally degradable plastics and biobased products (D20.96), part of the plastics committee ( D20). According to a study published in Science magazine, roughly eight million metric tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans each year. The remaining 79 percent went into landfills and the environment. According to a report from the Royal Statistical Society, as of 2017, only nine percent of plastic was recycled while 12 percent was incinerated. The amount of plastic waste discarded has galvanized some people against these polymers.

Unfortunately, what happens once plastics outlive their usefulness has become a troubling issue of our age. To keep up with demand, manufacturers produce between 270 and 360 million Mg (300 and 400 million tons) of plastic worldwide each year. From toothbrush handles and computer keys to aviation components and medical devices, plastics have become an ubiquitous part of modern life.

Astm standards