For Importers or Brokers when importing a large quantity of biodegradable plastic bags, if not stored under the proper conditions, they may degrade faster. Let’s explore with Haplast how to preserve biodegradable plastic bags over time and save business costs.
What are biodegradable plastic bags?
Biodegradable plastic bags, also known as eco-friendly plastic bags, are made from biodegradable materials capable of decomposing naturally in the environment without causing pollution.
Usually, biodegradable plastic bags are made from materials such as starch, plant fibers, silk fibers, cellulose, or other types of bioplastics. These materials can naturally decompose through biological or chemical processes, becoming organic matter and not generating harmful substances or pollutants.
Mechanism of biodegradation of biodegradable plastic bags
Before understanding how to preserve biodegradable plastic bags, traders need to understand the mechanism of degradation of this type of bag to understand why they require different storage conditions than other types of bags. For biodegradable plastic bags in general, the degradation mechanism will depend on the main materials used in the bag production process and the environmental conditions the bags come into contact with.
Haplast’s biodegradable plastic bag products are made from materials such as starch, plant fibers, or cellulose, they have the characteristic of easy degradation in the natural environment. According to Haplast’s Sourcing Manager – Dang The Anh, the degradation process of biodegradable plastic bags is divided into two main stages:
1. Biological degradation: Bacteria, fungi, or other microorganisms will attack and decompose all the bonds in the structure of the biodegradable plastic bag. Enzymes produced by these organisms will break down the polymer bonds in the bag into simpler molecules such as sugar, organic acids, and water.
2. Chemical breakdown (Hydrolysis): After stage 1, the chemical breakdown process continues. In a moist environment, the biodegradable plastic bag will absorb water and decrease hardness. The chemical bonds in the polymer structure will be decomposed by the impact of water, leading to the degradation and fragmentation of the bag into smaller pieces.
Therefore, the degradation process of biodegradable plastic bags depends on many environmental factors such as humidity, temperature, and decomposing microorganisms. A significant factor is the presence of oxygen.
How to preserve biodegradable plastic bags when purchasing in large quantities
As a manufacturer and supplier of biodegradable plastic bag products, Haplast understands the concerns of many traders when importing in large quantities. Also, according to the documents published by analysis centers in the US, EU, Australia, and China, they recommend: that to preserve biodegradable plastic bags for a long time and prevent premature degradation, two factors are needed: temperature and humidity.
The best conditions are humidity below 60% and temperature below 35 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, during storage in the warehouse, Haplast recommends not to place the biodegradable plastic bag shipments directly in contact with the ground or in damp places where bacteria can be generated.
With each partner when importing biodegradable products from Haplast, we provide preservation recommendations to save the most costs for customers. If possible, store biodegradable plastic bags in a cool warehouse, away from sunlight to slow down the degradation process sooner than expected.
Coming to Haplast, we focus on the product’s values and support customers in all related issues. We hope that after this article, traders when importing large quantities of biodegradable plastic bags can know how to preserve and save costs effectively.
