EcoPure Product Questions

How does EcoPure work?

EcoPure® accelerates the biodegradation* of treated plastics in microbe-rich environments, such as a biologically active landfill. Plastics treated with EcoPure® have unlimited shelf life and are completely non-toxic. Bio-Tec discovered an organic compound within crude oil that is burned out during the cracking process that is synthesized with nutrients and then grafted onto to the plastic polymer chain. Adding EcoPure® to a petroleum based resin attracts microbes to the product allowing them to control their PH level and become quorum sensing and colonize on the surface of the plastic. Once the microbes have colonized on the plastic they secrete acids that break down the polymer chain. Microbes utilize the carbon backbone of the polymer chain as an energy source. The difference between EcoPure® treated plastic and traditional plastic is that EcoPure® creates an opportunity for microbes to utilize plastic as food.

What is the manufacturing process for using EcoPure® additives?

Using the additive in the manufacturing process is easy to do and usually does not require equipment modification. The EcoPure® additive is added via a standard commercial gravimetric hopper just as you would add a colorant into the extruder feed-throat. Ours additives are usually loaded at 0.7%-4% by weight.

Does EcoPure® change the physical characteristics of treated plastic?

There are no noticeable changes to the physical characteristics of plastic such as tensile strength, glass temperature, melting temp, transition rates, etc. Some of these values are identified in the TDS (Technical Data Sheet). We encourage customers to test the performance of EcoPure® combined with specific materials.

Does plastic with EcoPure® decrease in performance when operating at elevated temperatures?

No. Tensile strength and the physical properties are maintained even in elevated temperatures. Temperatures that exceed the normal operating range for each specific resin would experience the same loss of properties as the standard plastic.

Do EcoPure® treated products have limited shelf-life?

No EcoPure® users have reported problems concerning limited shelf life.

What prevents plastics made with EcoPure® from degrading while in inventory or on the shelf?

EcoPure® treated products must be disposed of or kept in active microbial environments in order to biodegrade*. Most warehouse and retail environments do not contain the microbes needed for biodegradation.

Are there any special handling requirements of the EcoPure® additives?

Always make sure to seal unused portions of the EcoPure® additive due to its slightly hygroscopic nature. It is also a good idea to rotate the lot every six months to ensure good quality control. Do not run the additive at over 600F as this has not been tested and the results cannot be guaranteed.

Does EcoPure® need to be dried before use?

No, the EcoPure® additive can be used right from the box. It requires no drying or processing before being used.

How do you know that EcoPure® is food safe?

Keller and Heckman, a respected law firm, has looked at the formulation of EcoPure® and has written both long and short letters validating the safety of EcoPure® when in contact with food.

Are products with EcoPure® FDA approved?

EcoPure® is not toxic and is safe for use in food-contact applications. EcoPure® has been independently tested for toxicity and has been certified as FDA compliant.

Does EcoPure® contain any heavy metals?

EcoPure® does not contain any compounds that would be considered heavy metals, light metals or metal ions. EcoPure® is a combination of true organic compounds coming from oil and other nutrients found in the environment.

Does the EcoPure® additive contain any cancer causing compounds?

No. All of the organic compounds contained in EcoPure® are considered safe for food contact and have no known adverse health effects. The compounds are also not found on the toxic and potentially harmful substance list of CA Prop 65. This California legislation identifies certain toxic and potentially harmful substances and describes limitations for their use.

What is California Prop 65?

CA Prop 65 is legislation within the state of California that identifies certain toxic and potentially harmful substances and provides limitations for their use. No compounds within the EcoPure® additive are listed in Prop 65. Read more - http://oehha.ca.gov/Prop65/background/p65plain.html

Does EcoPure® contain microbes?

No, EcoPure® is an additive composed of organic compounds that attract microbes when placed into microbe-rich environments. There are no enzymes or microbes within the EcoPure® additive.

What plastics can EcoPure® be used in?

The EcoPure® additive can be used with virtually any petroleum-based resin.

Can customers use the regrind from plastics made with EcoPure®?

Yes, however it is recommended to implement quality control to ensure the approved amount of material is being loaded into the resin.

Are products made with EcoPure® certified recyclable?

Currently there are no recognized standard certification programs for recyclability. We have provided a number of independent laboratories with samples of plastic made with EcoPure®. These samples were then subjected to various testing methods to determine if EcoPure®-treated products are suitable for recycling. These tests indicated that EcoPure® does not affect the recyclability of treated products.

What recyclability tests have been performed on EcoPure® products?

The following tests have been performed on PET bottles treated with EcoPure® to verify recyclability. These are standard tests used to determine the quality of PET plastic regrind. These tests are suggested as part of the American Post-consumer Recycling Critical Guidance document. • Haze and Transmission via ASTM D 1003B • Intrinsic Viscosity via ASTM D 4603 • Acetaldehyde via ASTM F 2013 • Fluorescence Visual Visual Black Specks and Gel.

What is a TDS (Technical Data Sheet) and what is an MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet)?

These are documents that cover safety and technical details of EcoPure®. Customer please visit our Regulatory Affairs section to view our MSDS and TDS information.

* Biodegradation rates of EcoPure®-treated plastic materials measured according to the ASTM D5511 test method.  Tests are generally conducted using 20% to 30% solids content; solids content in naturally wetter landfills range from 55% to 65%, while the driest landfills may reach 93%.  Actual biodegradation rates will vary in biologically-active landfills according to the type of plastic used, the product configuration, and the solid content, temperature and moisture levels of the landfill. Find out more about biodegradability testing in our resource library.