Dec 26, 2017

Ag mulch film certified to naturally biodegrade

Minnesota-based Organix Solutions has received a certification of its product line of black soil biodegradable agricultural mulch film.

The OK biodegradable SOIL Certification from Vinçotte International verifies that the product, called Organix A.G. Film, will completely biodegrade in the soil without adversely affecting the environment according to international standards, according to a release from Organix.

Soil biodegradability is desirable in agricultural mulch films as they can be tilled into the soil after harvest. Microbes in the soil will break down the film into CO2, biomass and water. The US Composting Council society advocates for healthy soil through practices like the application of high-quality compost and sustainable practices that benefit growers, according to a release from the company.

“We also recognize Vinçotte’s OK biodegradable SOIL is a standard that proves materials will biodegrade in soil without negatively impacting the ability of the soil to grow plants,” said U.S. Composting Council Executive Director Frank Franciosi. “This certification label offers a significant benefit to the agricultural and horticultural market.”

Organix Solutions’ agricultural mulch films are made with ecovio, a compostable biopolymer by BASF for performance materials that completely biodegrade in a commercially reasonable period.

“The OK biodegradable SOIL Certification is an exciting achievement for us because it verifies our biopolymer agricultural mulch films will safely and naturally biodegrade in soil while providing all the performance characteristics growers need in a mulch film for their crops,” said Organix Solutions’ Managing Director Stuart MacDonald. “When we consider commercializing a product, our primary consideration is its end-of-life destination, whether it is industrial composting or in a farmer’s field.”

Vinçotte is an independent organization that specializes in inspection, certification and testing activities focused on safety, quality and the environment.

Above: A pepper field in California. Photos: PRNewsFoto/Organix Solutions