The Identity of Oxo-Degradable Plastics and their Use in Switzerland

Abstract

Oxo-degradable plastics (ODP) are plastics containing pro-oxidant additives that allegedly promote fragmentation and subsequent biodegradation. However, in practice, ODP do not fully biodegrade under environmental or industrial composting conditions, and thus may serve as a source of microplastics in the environment. In addition, ODP can negatively impact recycling processes. In this study, we investigate the occurrence of ODP in Switzerland and the feasibility of identifying ODP using handheld XRF.