OUR GAME-CHANGING INNOVATION
Only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled, with the vast majority wasting away in our landfills and oceans. The production of plastic has accelerated over the past few decades, with little consideration to the repercussions of our ever-growing consumption of plastic, particularly single use plastic.
Introducing Hydrobag, the world’s first commercially viable solution to the problem of single use plastic bags, packaging and film. With advanced and patented material technology, it looks and performs just like plastic, however, it is fully water soluble, biodegradable and 100% safe for the planet.
Unlike plastics and unmanaged bioplastics, which remain in the ocean for hundreds of years, the Hydrobag breaks down quickly in any environment leaving no trace. No micro plastics, no problem.
ECO-FRIENDLY ASPECTS
No matter whether it ends up in a landfill, in the ocean, or discarded anywhere, it will break down and return to its natural elements of hydrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen.
Compostable
Hydrobag film breaks down in aerobic conditions such as in soil, home compost and freshwater as well as anaerobic conditions such as sewage and landfills.
Biodegradable
Unlike plastic and bioplastic/vegetable based films, Hydrobag’s biodegradation can be visually seen by consumers by placing the film in boiling water to clearly see and confirm the degradation.
Sustainable
No microplastics! Hydrobag breaks down into completely non-toxic biomass, carbon dioxide and water.
Recyclable
Hyrdrobag film will break down during the recycling process without affecting the machines allowing for the film to go into any collection stream without harm.
Water Soluble
The unique process here is to produce thermo-processable fully hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol. This PVOH is unusual as a petro derived polymer in that it is hydrophilic (water liking) and has enhanced biodegradation properties. Polyvinyl alcohol itself is not a new concept – having been used for years in surgical stitches.
Marine Safe
Hydrobags are non-toxic and will break down in the ocean leaving no microplastics! Keeping the marine eco-system clean and causing no harm to sea life, even if ingested.
APPLICATIONS
RETAIL
In the fashion industry; approximately 180 billion polybags are produced every year to store, transport and protect garments, footwear and accessories. Less than 15% of all polybags in circulation are collected for recycling.
Our Hydrobag is the perfect solution to transport goods and deliver products to the customer effectively without adding to this plastic crisis.
MEDICAL
The Hydrobag film is the perfect solution for cytotoxic laundry bags. The bags containing the contaminated linen dissolve in the hot wash removing the need to incinerate the plastic alternative and prevents the risk of infection as the workers do not need to handle the linen directly. It reduces huge amounts of waste and is a safer material to prevent infection.
Technical details
Our bags are created from a patented technology,
a specifically engineered material designed to
target the problem of ‘single use’ plastic.
The base polymer is inherently biodegradable, that is, given the right balance of environment and microbial presence it will biodegrade to carbon dioxide, water and mineralized natural biomass.
It is hydrophilic (water liking) and has no propensity to attract toxins or form micro plastics and has been certified to be non-toxic to marine fauna. It is non-toxic and safely digestible by marine life reducing environmental impact to zero. (ASTM D6691 and OK Marine Certifications).
Breakthrough innovation/ Base Material – The base polymer is polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) which is a refinery product originally derived from ethylene. Ethylene is converted to vinyl acetate (a very useful chemical, used as a base for many other polymers), which is then polymerized to polyvinyl acetate, and converted to polyvinyl alcohol.
The unique process here is to produce thermo-processable, fully hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol. This PVOH is unusual as a petro derived polymer in that it is hydrophililic (water liking) and has enhanced biodegradation properties. PVOH has been used for years in surgical stitches, and is well documented as being biodegradable in aerobic (soil, compost, freshwater) and anerobic (sewage, landfills) conditions.
However, the real breakthrough comes from multifunctional polyvinyl alcohol pellets, allowing the production of monolayer films which can biodegrade to hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
It is important to note that while the current base PVOH polymers are derived from petro refining, the switch to bio-based PVOH, such as from cellulose, is imminent. There is no significant manufacturing of the bio-based version due to demand. But as demand grows, the life cycle of our Hydrobag become more and more renewable.
Tech SPECS
High Tensile Strength
Excellent Puncture Resistance
Heat Sealable
Barrier to gases
Great Clarity
Resistant
and solvents
Natural electrostatic
disspiation
Soft and smooth feel
Colourable
Printable
EU Declaration
of Compliance
Food Contact Safe
CERTIFIATIONS
EN13432 – European Standard for Compostability
ASTM D6400 – Standard Specification for Labeling of Plastics Designed to be Aerobically Composted in Municipal or Industrial Facilities
ASTM D6868 – Biodegradable Plastics
ISO 17088 – Specifications for Compostable Plastics
ISO 14885 – Chemical disinfectants
SO 18606 – Packaging and the Environment – Organic Recycling
AS4736 Australian Standard Biodegradable Plastic
REACH certified
SVHC certified
RoHS Certified
FDA Regulations
This product can be used in compliance with the following FDA Regulations
21 CFR 175.105 Adhesives
21 CFR 175.300 Resinous and polymeric coatings
21 CFR 175.320 Resinous and polymeric coatings for polyolefin films
21 CFR 176.170 Components of paper and paperboard in contact with aqueous and fatty foods
1 CFR 176.180 Components of paper and paperboard in contact with dry foods
21 CFR 177.1200 Cellophane Restricted
21 CFR 177.1670 Polyvinyl alcohol film
21 CFR 177.2260 Filters, resin-bonded
21 CFR 177.2800 Textiles and textile fibers
Film Properties
Based on 25u film:
Clarity (light transmitted)
% 60-66
Gloss (light reflected)
% 81
Tear Strength (Elmendorf)
g2000 ISO 1974
Tensile Strength MPa
90 ISO 527-3
Elongation at break %
400 ISO 527-1