Recycling and biodegradation of barrier coated board | |
| Author | Waranyou Sridach |
| Call Number | AIT Diss. no. PP-05-1 |
| Subject(s) | Paperboard Paper coatings |
| Note | A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technical Science |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Packaging products are one of the key components of modern society. Some packaging products which have been coated with resin or laminated with plastics are not degradable in a reasonable time frame. They contribute to filling the landfills and over-loading the environment. This circumstance in packaging along with waste surplus raises the wasteproblem to the level of global concern. To halt the growth of waste, industrial countries have passed a wide range of legislation at local or national level. About 40 states in the United States, in recent years, have passed recycling laws or implemented voluntary goals and directives to hinder fibrous-waste growth in landfills [1]. European Union countries have been compelled to pursue waste-reduction guidelines (94/62/EU) [2]. EU Landfill Directive suggest 25% reduction from 1995 level waste stream to landfill by 2010, 50% by 2013 and 65% by 2020. Recycling technology does not yet have the infrastructure and capacity to deal with the rapid growth of waste paper or board. Therefore, a waste-reduction scheme should also benefit from composting or incineration technologies to combat this waste growth. To do so, the waste should be biodegradable. The objective of this project was to examine the biodegradation potential of some of these coated products and the influence of sample size or tropical condition on biodegration rate of these products. The literature is abundant on biodegradation of fibrous materials, but it is rare on biodegradation of recent barrier coating formulas. The coated boards were tested for biodegradation potential using a soil-burial test method. The boards were tested at different soil conditions. It was found that the base-boards degraded regardless of the board types, however, the pace of degradation for the boards was different. Sample size, tropical climate, and laboratory condition or addition of inoculum have accelerated the degradation process. The coated layers of the boards were isolated by laminating with black polyethylene, then their biodegradation rate were measured and compared with this biodegradation rate of low density polyethylene as a control. The boards which were coated with polyester-based polymers were biodegradable, but at different degrees. The differences in the biodegradation rates of the boards were attributed to their coating formulations. The present observation indicated that the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was capable of differentiating the barrier coated boards, but it was incapable of distinguishing the differences in the biodegradation potential of the boards. The main advantage of the biodegradable coating was its biodegradability, however, the high water vapour transmission values suggested a thicker coating layer. The latter requirement could increase the production cost. The barrier coated boards, without exception, were found to be recyclable; and their fiber or paper quality was comparable with those of the original samples. However, the heat value of polyethylene were higher than those of the barrier coatings. These facts imply that the biodegradable coatings may have difficulties in finding profitable applications, especially if the legislations are emphasizing the recycling and incineration options in waste treatment. |
| Year | 2005 |
| Type | Dissertation |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Pulp and Paper Technology (PP) |
| Chairperson(s) | Nazhad, Mousa M.;Retulainen, Elias |
| Examination Committee(s) | Lehtinen, Esa;Preeda Parkpian;Anuvat Janugchud;Paszner, Laszlo |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government;Government of Finland |
| Degree | Thesis (Ph.D.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2005 |