Cycle of Sustainability

Using Landfills and

Enhancing the Biodegradation
of Plastic Materials
Enhanced
Plastic
Biodegradable
Regular
Utilized by
Plasticwith BioSphere
Industry or to
Landfill
power homes

50-1000 Power Generation 6 mo -10 Years

Biodegradation from Methane
Years Depending Depending on
on Product Capture
Product Design

Methane Capture
594 Landfills
Every State Except
Wyoming, Alaska, Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico and Hawaii

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 Plastic Biodegrades on
it’s own.
Deterioration of polymeric materials is caused by adhering • Yu Gu and other
microorganisms that colonize their surfaces, forming biofilm
(Mitchell et al. 1996; Viktorov et al. 1992). The formation of a
biofilm is a prerequisite for substantial corrosion and deterioration
scientists have
of these materials to take place. Biofilm is a slimy layer where
bacterial cells can encase themselves in a hydrated matrix of researched and
shown that
polysaccharides and protein which is composed of water (80- 95%),
extracellular polymer substances (EPS) that contribute 85-98% of
the organic matter, the microorganisms, entrapped organic and
inorganic particles (e.g. humic substances, debris, clay, silica,
gypsum, etc.), substances sorbed to EPS, cells or particles and synthetic plastic
substances dissolved in the interstitial water (Flemming 1998). The
process of establishment of complex community of microorganisms
on surface attachment as biofilm is known as biofouling or
biodegrades over
microfouling. The major five damaging mechanisms (both direct
and indirect) through which the structure and function of synthetic
polymeric materials can be damaged by biofilms can be very high.
a long period of
time.

http://www.biosphereplastic.com/uncategorized/microbial-biodegradation-of-polymeric-materials/

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 BioSphere Enhances
Biodegradation
We enhance biodegradation by attracting the right
microorganisms to the plastic surface and allow those microbes
to work in a different biodegradation mechanism than
competition in the market. Most competitors products • By attracting a
biodegrade like an onion from the outside in one layer at a wide range of
time. Our product biodegrades like and onion one layer at a
time as well, with one exception. BioSphere’s additive microorganisms
accelerates the biodegradation process by attracting certain
microorganisms that create cave like effects allowing for a
that utilize the
broadening of the surface area, enabling more microbes to sugars and
attach biofilms within the structure of the polymer chains. This
BioSphere advantage literally cuts the biodegradation process in hydrophilic
half.
properties of
BioSphere
BioSphere’s plastic additive greatly
enhances the methane potential and additive and
landfill power generation potential in increase
a very short period of time. biodegradation of
plastic articles.
http://www.biosphereplastic.com/services/

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 Biodegradation in
Landfills Does Occur.
• Methane is
Captured and
Utilized as Power

• EPA Reports
Biodegradation in
Landfills

http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html Biodegradation in Landfills

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html

http://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-info/index.html Landfill Methane to Energy

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 Landfill’s Convert
Methane to Energy.
Electricity Generation
The generation of electricity from LFG makes up about two–thirds of
the currently operational projects in the United States. Electricity for • Methane
on–site use or sale to the grid can be generated using a variety of
different technologies, including internal combustion engines,
Generation is a
turbines, microturbines, and fuel cells. The vast majority of projects
use internal combustion (reciprocating) engines or turbines, with major part of
microturbine technology being used at smaller landfills and in niche
applications. Technologies such as Stirling and organic Rankine
cycle engines and fuel cells are still in development.
SWANA(Solid
Direct Use
Waste Association
Directly using LFG to offset the use of another fuel (e.g., natural of North
America) the EPA
gas, coal, fuel oil) is occurring in about one–third of the currently
operational projects. This direct use of LFG can be in a boiler,
dryer, kiln, greenhouse, or other thermal application. LFG can
also be used directly to evaporate leachate. Innovative direct
uses include firing pottery and glass–blowing kilns; powering
and other
and heating greenhouses and an ice rink; and heating water for
an aquaculture (fish farming) operation. Current industries using organizations
LFG include auto manufacturing, chemical production, food
processing, pharmaceuticals, cement and brick manufacturing,
wastewater treatment, consumer electronics and products, paper
around the world
and steel production, and prisons and hospitals, just to name a
few.

http://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-info/index.html

http://www.biosphereplastic.com/landfill-gas-to-energy/landfill-power-turning-waste-to-energy/ Waste Management has 80 methane-to-energy projects in US

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 Sustainable Future
• From
biodegradable
plastic to useable
energy, BioSphere
enhances the total
methane potential
of landfills
allowing for
power generation
and energy
efficiently and
effectively.
http://epa.gov/methane/reports/02-landfills.pdf

Wednesday, August 1, 12
 Enhanced
Biodegradable
Plasticwith BioSphere

6 mo -10 Years
Depending on
Product Design

Wednesday, August 1, 12