BS ISO 13975:2019

What is ISO 13975 - Ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in controlled slurry digestion systems about?  

ISO 13975 specifies a method of evaluating the ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in a controlled anaerobic slurry digestion system with a solids concentration not exceeding 15 %, which is often found for the treatment of sewage sludge, livestock fences, or garbage. The test method is designed to yield a percentage and rate of conversion of the organic carbon in the test materials to carbon dioxide and methane produced as biogas.  

ISO 13975 applies to the following materials, provided they have a known carbon content: 

• Natural and/or synthetic polymers, copolymers, or mixtures 
• Plastic materials that contain additives such as plasticizers, colorants, or other compounds 
• Water-soluble polymers 

Note: ISO 13975 does not apply to materials that exhibit inhibitory effects on the test microorganisms at the concentration chosen for the test. 

Who is ISO 13975 - Ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in controlled slurry digestion systems for? 

ISO 13975 on the determination of the Ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in controlled slurry digestion systems is useful for: 

• Plastic industry  
• Plastic testing laboratories 

Why should you use ISO 13975 - Ultimate anaerobic biodegradability of plastic materials in controlled slurry digestion systems?  

Biological recycling (bio recycling), together with mechanical recycling and chemical recycling, is a viable option for the recovery of plastic waste. The production of biogas is observed under anaerobic conditions suitable for the growth of thermophilic or mesophilic microorganisms.  

The biogas is collected in a bag under atmospheric pressure, and the biogas volume is measured with a syringe or a gas burette. The biodegradability of the test material is evaluated from the sum of the amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the supernatant and the cumulative quantity of evolved biogas. 

ISO 13975 provides you with a method of evaluating the anaerobic biodegradability of such plastic waste in a controlled anaerobic slurry system. This is a representative anaerobic digestion test method and system for biodegradable plastic waste. ISO 13975 provides you with a biodegradation test method for plastic materials in a controlled anaerobic slurry system. ISO 13975 helps you with the manufacturing of biodegradable plastic. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS ISO 13975:2019 supersedes BS EN ISO 13975:2012 which has been withdrawn. BS ISO 13975:2019 includes some technical changes with respect to BS EN ISO 13975:2012. These include: 

• At least three test vessels for the test mixture, three vessels for blank controls, and three vessels for checking inoculum activity using a reference material have been provided 
• The Clausius-Clapeyron equation has been collected