Zerust Selects BASF’s Ecoflex® Polymer for Compostable Plastic Leaf Bags
January 25 , 2006
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- BASF's Ecoflex copolyester is helping Zerust Consumer Products Ltd., Twinsburg, Ohio, to market a clear, plastic compostable bag for lawn and leaf applications.
Zerust's new Great Green Earth bags can be used to replace paper bags for organic waste disposal. Great Green Earth bags are approved by the Biodegradable Products Institute, and are certified via ASTM D6400 for their ability to biodegrade swiftly and safely during municipal or commercial composting. The Great Green Earth bags are manufactured using a proprietary technology developed by Northern Technologies International (NTI), Lino Lakes, Minn. Zerust, the consumer division of NTI, also markets food waste bags and agricultural film under the Great Green Earth brand.
"Municipalities throughout the United States require residents and businesses to dispose of organic waste in 30-gallon paper bags that can then be transported to composting facilities, rather than landfills, said Budd Dworkin, President of Zerust Consumer Products Ltd.
"The problem with paper is that when it rains, the bags get wet, messy and difficult to handle. Our Great Green Earth bags are clear and tough, and stand up to water. Yet they will biodegrade quickly in a composting facility."
Zerust selected Ecoflex because it is already BPI-certified and meets ASTM D6400 Specification for Compostable Plastics. Ecoflex is part of BASF's PlasticsPlus™ specialty plastics portfolio, which includes reliable, high-performance styrenics, biodegradable materials and foams. Great Green Earth bags join a growing list of new compostable products that permit more waste to be diverted from landfills and incinerators.
"To achieve certification, a company must prove that it meets the requirements of ASTM D6400 based on testing in an approved third party lab and confirmation by an independent reviewer," said Steve Mojo, BPI Executive Director. "Compared to just a few years ago, there are more compostable products in the marketplace, so businesses and consumers can choose ones that meet their needs."
"Ecoflex is the only biodegradable/compostable polymer with the processability and toughness to perform in Zerust's proprietary organic waste application. Great Green Earth bags are a viable alternative to paper products because they biodegrade within 180 days," said Keith Edwards, Market Development Manager, Ecoflex Copolyester, for BASF in North America.
The Great Green Earth compostable leaf bags are produced for Zerust by Marshall Plastics, Martin, Mich., on existing equipment.
With its outstanding properties, BASF's Ecoflex is the leading synthetic biodegradable plastic available worldwide. This aliphatic-aromatic copolyester is ideal for bags, paper coatings, disposable packaging or agricultural sheeting because it decomposes in soil or in compost without leaving any residues. BASF manufactures Ecoflex in Ludwigshafen, Germany, at a plant with an annual production capacity of 8,000 metric tons. BASF is planning to increase Ecoflex production by 6,000 metric tons by adding capacity at its Schwarzheide, Germany, site. This expansion is scheduled to be completed early in 2006.
BASF's PlasticsPlus products offer a diverse range of solutions to meet the most unique and demanding requirements for new innovations, including Ecoflex® 100 percent biodegradable plastic, Luran® S acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), Terluran® HH high heat acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), Palusol® alkali metal silicate, Basotect® melamine resin foam, PermaSkin® system for coating components, Styroclear styrene butadiene copolymers (SBC), Styroflex® styrene/butadiene block copolymer (SBS), Terlux® methyl methacrylate/acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (MABS) and Terblend® N polyamide and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS+PA).
BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®
BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. Rated in FORTUNE magazine as America's Most Admired Chemical Company, we employ about 10,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $11 billion in 2004.
As the world's leading chemical company, BASF's portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. As a reliable partner to virtually all industries, BASF's intelligent solutions and high-value products help its customers to be more successful. BASF develops new technologies and uses them to open up additional market opportunities. It combines economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, thus contributing to a better future. In 2004, BASF had approximately 82,000 employees and posted sales of more than $50 billion. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA), New York (BF), and Zurich (AN).
