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The first known use of biodegradable in a biological context was in 1959 when it was employed to describe the breakdown of material into innocuous components by microorganisms. [57] Now biodegradable is commonly associated with environmentally friendly products that are part of the earth's innate cycles like the carbon cycle and capable of ...
Biodegradable waste includes any organic matter in waste which can be broken down into carbon dioxide, water, methane, compost, humus, and simple organic molecules by micro-organisms and other living things by composting, aerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion or similar processes.
In typical parlance, the word biodegradable is distinct in meaning from compostable.While biodegradable simply means an object is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms, "compostable" in the plastic industry is defined as able to decompose in aerobic environments that are maintained under specific controlled temperature and humidity conditions.
Biodegradable plastics are commonly used for disposable items, such as packaging, cutlery, and food service containers. [13] In principle, biodegradable plastics could replace many applications for conventional plastics. However, this entails a number of challenges. Many biodegradable plastics are designed to degrade in industrial composting ...
Biodegradable polymers are of great interest in the field of drug delivery and nanomedicine. The great benefit of a biodegradable drug delivery system is the ability of the drug carrier to target the release of its payload to a specific site in the body and then degrade into nontoxic materials that are then eliminated from the body via natural ...
By definition, biodegradable materials are formed or organic compounds which can thus be broken down by living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or water molds, and reabsorbed by the natural environment. [13] Whether a material is biodegradable is determined by its chemical structure, not the origin of the material from which it is made. [14]
Biogas captured from biodegradable green waste can be used as biofuel. Green waste can be composed of non-food crops , which decompose to produce cellulosic ethanol . It can also help reduce the necessity of petroleum gases, which produce large amounts of greenhouse gases , such as carbon dioxide , when burned.
Common waste produced during pre-modern times was mainly ashes and human biodegradable waste, and these were released back into the ground locally, with minimum environmental impact. Tools made out of wood or metal were generally reused or passed down through the generations.