End of Life

Hydropol™ is inherently biodegradable. When given the right balance of environment and microbial presence it will biodegrade to carbon dioxide, water and mineralised natural biomass.

As well as being multi-purpose, it has multiple end-of-life options because biodegradation is important whether it is controlled within the waste stream or in uncontrolled, environmental release.

Traditionally, manufacturers made products with little consideration about what would happen to their materials after their primary life. The drive towards a Circular Economy means the development of a sustainable materials chain which has all the advantages of modern highly functional materials in their primary and secondary uses but combines it with real end-of-life options.

Aquapak believes in a world where recycling is rewarded. Hydropol is a high performance material with broad functionality. It's soluble in water with multiple end-of-life options and demonstrated to be completely safe in the environment

The term microplastics was defined in 2009 as, “plastic particles smaller than 5mm in size”.

When in solution Hydropol™ cannot form microplastics. Depending on the environment, Hydropol™ in solid form may break down to minute particles - but importantly it does so without the formation of toxins or the subsequent absorption of toxins associated with traditional plastics!

Unlike conventional plastics - whose long lasting hydrophobic micro-particles absorb and concentrate toxins - these small particles of Hydropol will not persist in the environment, are non-toxic and marine-safe.

Recyclability depends upon what Hydropol™ is made into and whether it is mixed with other materials. For example:

Single materials
Soluble in warm or hot water (40°C or >70°C)
Sortable with infrared signature

Coated paper
Paperboard re-pulping
Hydropol™ recovered or left in pulp

Bi-layer laminates
Hydropol™ dissolves > recycle other material
Traditional recyclable plastics – PE, PET

Compostables – cellulose, Polylactic acid
Hydropol™ dissolves > recycle or compost other material

Hydropol™ polymer biodegrades into carbon dioxide, water and mineralised biomass.

What is mineralised biomass?
In this case of polymer degradation, the term mineralisation indicates a natural biological breakdown step of the carbon in the polymer to carbon dioxide and water. So, via a process of oxidation the polymer breaks down via chain breaking to form smaller oxidised polymer chains (mineralised biomass) which then break down further to carbon dioxide and water. Hydropol™ does not yield any harmful products in any stage of breakdown and biodegradation.

Why is carbon dioxide produced during its disposal?
CO2 is a natural bi-product of living organisms, hence it is produced when micro organisms breakdown Hydropol™.