Oxodegradable Polystyrene is the first environmentally friendly food packaging in Indonesia, which has just introduced.
The use of polystyrene or better known as styrofoam, which has been used oxium updated with additional material that makes polystyrene will be oxodegradable and rapidly decomposed in less than 4 years.
In addition to certified green label, oxodegradable polystyrene is also shown to be safe as food packaging that meets the regulatory BPOM.
"Currently oxodegradable polystyrene boxes have been applied as an environmentally friendly food packaging on one fast food restaurant," said Lewis Tandio, CEO of PT Tirta Marta Indonesia, on Tuesday (26/04/2011).
According to him, it certainly shows the public awareness for environmental care is increasing.
"With the many innovations that we have, oxium as a pioneer of environmentally friendly technologies are proud to play an active role and contribute to the preservation of the environment as well as greening the earth," he continued.
Oxium is an additive that is added into the polystyrene so that it can accelerate the degradation process, which takes approximately 4 years to decompose polystyrene in nature.
With the addition oxium, polystyrene will be oxodegradable, namely degraded through oxidation mechanism that is triggered by the UV, heat, light, oxygen and mechanical stress.
"Previously we have applied the crackle bag or shopping bag in the mall, which can be broken down within 2 years. And now we adopt in styrofoam or polystyrene which can be broken down in 4 years," said Lewis.
Lewis explains, the process of degradation caused a decrease in tensile strength so that polystyrene becomes brittle (fragile), cracking (crack), fragmented into small sections until the powder or powder.
In the most recent phase of this degradation process will produce CO2, water and biomass which will return to nature.
"Polystyrene or Styrofoam is actually organic. It's made from oil that was originally derived from organic materials," explained Lewis.
According to him, the atoms polystyrene is also similar to rice or sugar, that is hydrocarbons. Only the eyes of the chain length so that microbes can not eat and take a long time to decompose and eventually be eaten by microbes.
"By using oxium, then we can shorten the chain and speed up the process of decomposition, making it much faster to be eaten by microbes," continued Lewis.
Launch of Styrofoam or polystyrene is also getting support from the Solid Waste Association of Indonesia (Indonesia Solid Waste Association or InSWA).
"With the oxodegradable polystyrene is expected not only to reduce the problem of plastic waste is not biodegradable, but more than that to be the first step for producers and communities to preserve the environment," said Ir Sri Bebassari, Msi, Chairman InSwa.
In addition to their support Solid Waste Association of Indonesia, ASEAN Polystyrene Association.
"We support 100 percent the use oxium so that our problem with plastic waste can be overcome," said Bonnie C. Blando, Chairman of the ASEAN Association of Polystyrene.