SINGAPORE GREEN LABELLING SCHEME CERTIFICATION GUIDE
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Transcript of SINGAPORE GREEN LABELLING SCHEME CERTIFICATION GUIDE
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SINGAPORE GREEN
LABELLING SCHEME
CERTIFICATION GUIDE[Category: Oxo-biodegradable Plastic Products]
March 2013
[The Green Label Category for Oxo-biodegradable Plastic Products establishes grading criteria on
environmental, health and performance parameters for plastic products that biodegrade in the open
environment owing to the inclusion of a pro-degradant additive during manufacture. The standard
includes product specific environmental and health prerequisites, such as reduced eco-toxicity and
toxicity to humans.]
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The Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) was launched in May 1992 by the Ministry of
the Environment. It was handed over to the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) on 5 June1999 and is currently fully owned by the SEC.
The Green Label aims to help the public identify environment-friendly products that meet certaineco-standards specified by the scheme and seeks to encourage the level of eco-consumerism inSingapore as well as to identify the growing demand for greener products in the market. The
scheme hopes to create a backlash effect, encouraging manufacturers to design and manufacture
with the environment in mind.
Green Label offers certification of a range of products in conformance with its standards. For
additional information on the SGLS or any of the SECs programmes, contact:
Singapore Green Labelling Scheme
1 Kay Siang Road #04-02Singapore 248922
+65 6337 6062
www.sec.org.sg
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. SCOPE ................................................................................................................................... 4II. RATIONALE ......................................................................................................................... 4
III. DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................................................... 5
IV. GREEN LABEL CERTIFICATION CHECKLIST .............................................................. 6
A. Health and Environment Criteria ...................................................................................... 6
B. Quality Control / Assurance ............................................................................................ 11
V. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 11
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I. SCOPE
This standard establishes human health and environmental criteria for the certification of oxo-
biodegradable polypropylene and polyethylene products that degrade and biodegrade in the open
environment. These products are most commonly used in flexible plastics, semi-rigid
applications i.e. films, carrier bags, packaging, disposable products, agricultural products, and
products that do not require more than 2-3 years of useful life.
II. RATIONALE
There is growing concern around the world that if plastic waste is not collected for disposal and
gets into the open environment it can subsist for decades, causing visual pollution, blocking
drains, and harming wildlife. In order to meet these concerns oxo-biodegradable plastics have
been developed and are now in use worldwide.
Oxo-degradation is defined by CEN (the European Standards Organisation) in TR15351 as
degradation resulting from oxidative cleavage of macromolecules., and oxo-biodegradation as
degradation resulting from oxidative and cell-mediated phenomena, either simultaneously or
successively.An additive can be included at manufacture to enable oxo-biodegradation i.e. turn
ordinary plastic at the end of its useful life in the presence of oxygen into a material with a
different molecular structure. When the molecular-weight of the material has descended to
10,000 Daltons after exposure to the open environment, it is no longer a plastic and has become
small fragments of a material which is inherently biodegradable in the open environment. At this
stage the material is no longer capable of causing visual pollution, blocking drains, or harming
wildlife. In other words, from an environmental perspective, the relevant timescale in relation to
litter is the time taken for the molecular weight of the material to descend to 10,000 Daltons inthe open environment, and not the time taken for complete biodegradation to occur.
Businesses, consumers, and government in Singapore need to know whether products
manufactured or imported as oxo-biodegradable are in fact oxo-biodegradable; whether they will
therefore degrade and biodegrade if they get into the open environment, and whether they
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contain heavy metals and are eco-toxic. For this reason a Singapore Green Label category has
been developed by reference to which these questions can be answered.
It is not possible to prescribe timescales in this category because the composition of oxo-
biodegradable plastics is designed to be variable and conditions in the open environment are also
variable. The report required by Section A is therefore of particular importance because in
addition to answering the above-mentioned questions it will give an indication of how long the
abiotic degradation process of the tested material is likely to take. The report can be used as a
basis for understanding whether the type of oxo-biodegradable plastic tested is suitable for the
purpose for which it is intended.
III. DEFINITIONS
Carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent
directly involved in causing cancer
Mutagen A mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic
material, usually DNA, of an organism and thus increases the frequency of
mutations above the natural background level
Reproductive toxin A reproductive toxin is a substance or agent that can cause adverse effects
on the reproductive system
Label Refers to the Singapore Green Label
Material Safety Data Sheet A document that indicates the physical and chemical properties of a
substance or product informing the reader of its intended use and safety
precautions to be undertaken when using it
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials. A body that develops standards and
testing methods for a variety of materials, products, and services.
IARC International Agency for Research on Cancer.
ISO International Organization for Standardization. (http://www.iso.org/)
VOC Volatile Organic Compound. Any organic compound which participates in
atmospheric photochemical reactions and has an initial boiling point lower than
or equal to 280C measured at standard conditions of temperature and pressure.
Oxo-biodegradation Degradation resulting from oxidative, followed by cell-mediated phenomena, for
the purpose of this category.
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IV. GREEN LABEL CERTIFICATION CHECKLIST
A. Health and Environment Criteria
CRITERIA SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS
a) Environmental Management Guidelines
A company manufacturing oxo-biodegradable plastics in
Singapore is required to have ISO (or equivalent)
environmental management systems in place. Please see
Supporting Documents in the adjacent column.
Emissions to the air and water during the production process
in Singapore shall be controlled within the environment
regulation limits set by the NEA in the Code of Practice on
Pollution Control (2000).
Overseas manufacturing units shall comply with the relevant
local legislation, and pro-degradant masterbatch suppliers
shall be accredited to 14001.
The applicant must provide details of the manufacturing process
ISO 14001 management
certifications, or
Environmental management
guidelines and a declaration that
the company is in the process of
obtaining the relevant certifications
within 2 years
Documentation on the
manufacturing process
b) Hazardous and Prohibited substances
The following substances shall not knowingly be incorporated
into the manufacturing process or final product:
Carcinogens
Mutagens
Endocrine disruptors such as phthalates & reproductive toxins
A declaration to this effect signed
by the CEO or Technical Director
of the applicant company
c) Abiotic Degradation
Separate abiotic degradation tests shall be performed, by UV
ageing, and Heat Ageing to simulate the degradation
processes.
The extent of degradation shall be evaluated by measuring the
loss in mechanical properties, decrease in viscometry
molecular weight, and determination of gel content.
Third party laboratory test reports,
according to ASTM D5208 and
ASTM D3045:
UV Ageing: The test is performed
according to ASTM D5208-09
Cycle C. Sample is exposed for 48
hours.
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At the end of each test period not exceeding 18 days the
samples should show:
- Average viscometry molecular weight
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Cadmium 0.01%
Hexavalent chromium 0.1%
Polybrominated biphenyls 0.1%
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers 0.1%
e) Storage life and service life
Useful life of product should be at least six months,
excluding time in storage away from UV light and at a
temperature no higher than 30C
Third party laboratory test reports:
Service life testing shall be carried
out according to ASTM D 882
f) Food Contact
For products intended for direct contact with food the product
shall comply with European Commission Regulation No1935/2004 or the relevant provisions of the United States FDA
Code of Federal Regulations.
Third party laboratory test reports
based on EC 1935/2004 or FDA or
equivalent
g) Energy efficiency
Policies and measures to maximise energy efficiency and
minimise the release of GHG, shall be implemented during
the manufacturing process in Singapore. .
Overseas manufacturing units shall comply with relevant
local laws.
Documentation of energy
consumption during the
manufacturing process, and
relevant reduction targets
h) Water efficiency
Policies and measures to maximise efficient water usage and
minimise wastage shall be implemented during the
manufacturing process in Singapore.
Overseas manufacturing units shall comply with relevant
local laws.
Documentation of water
consumption during the
manufacturing process, and of
plans to minimise the same
i) Waste management for manufacturing in Singapore
Policies and measures to minimise waste generation and
increase material recovery shall be implemented during the
manufacturing and distribution processes.
To be substantiated by
documentation demonstrating
effective waste management and
minimisation policies including
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The materials used during production must not be otherwise
treated to prevent end-life recyclability.
Waste released in the environment shall not exceed
acceptable levels of impact on the receiving land or water
bodies, as specified by Singapore statutes such as the
Environmental Protection and Management Act, the
Environmental Public Health Act, the Sewerage and Drainage
Act and subsidiary regulations such as the Sewerage and
Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations. The limits on effluent
discharge to sewers are listed by the PUB1in Requirements
for Discharge to Sewer.
Overseas manufacturing units shall comply with relevant
local laws
annual figures of waste production.
j) Impact of Product entering various waste streams in Singapore
The product must be able to degrade in a natural setting.
The applicant shall deliver documentation on how the material
will perform in Singapore and its effects in each scenario.
Relevant documentation on
possible waste pathways of the
product in Singapore, and its
effects in each scenario
k) User Information
The product shall include printed information on length of useful
life and disposal.
Relevant documentation and
sample of final product for visual
inspection
NOTE
A written, signed, and dated report must be provided, on the letterhead of the laboratory, recording the
following information:
1. Full details of the material tested, including thickness, polymer material used, prodegradant
additive used
2. Purpose for which the test material is intended (e.g. shopping bag, garbage sack etc.) and
suitability of using the oxo-biodegradable additive/ material in the product based on parameters
such as application of the product, base materials, any other additives, life of the product, as
1Public Utilities Board(www.pub.gov.sg.)
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well as end-of-life (where the product needs to biodegrade)
3. Results of each test and time taken to complete each test.
4. An estimate of storage and service life in Singapore
5. An estimate of the time the test material is likely to take to degrade in the open environment in
Singapore from onset of degradation to 10,000 Daltons.
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B. Quality Control / Assurance
CRITERIA
In lieu of the conditions below, all pro-degradant master-batch suppliers must provide a copy of their valid
ISO 14001 Environmental Certification issued by an accredited certification body.
a) Purchasing and receiving
New sources of materials or parts are evaluated to comply with specifications or purchasing documents.
The manufacturer shall have a documented method to ensure that sources of materials or parts continue
to comply with specifications.
b) Manufacturing
Documentation that describes production methods and materials used shall be provided.
Records shall be maintained to show that products are made in accordance with documented methods
and materials.
V. REFERENCES
Degradable Polymers: Principles and Applications, 2nd Edition, Ed. G. Scott, Kluwer
Academic Publishers, 2002
G. Scott Environmental Biodegradation of Hydrocarbon PolymersBiodegradable
Plastics and Polymers, Elsevier Science BV, 1994, pp 79-91.
I. Jakubowicz et al Kinetics of abiotic and biotic degradability of low-densitypolyethylene containing prodegradant additives and its effect on the growth of microbialcommunities 96Polymer Degradation & Stability (2011) 919
A.-C. Albertsson et al Environmental Degradation of Polyethylene 169Long TermProperties of Polyolefins (2004) 177
A. Corti et al Oxidation and biodegradation of polyethylene films containing prooxidantadditives: Synergistic effects of sunlight exposure, thermal aging and fungalbiodegradation 95Polymer Degradation and Stability (2010) 1106e1114
G. Scott Abiotic control of Polymer Biodegradation 5 Trends in Polymer Science, 361-
368 (1997).
R. Arnaud, et al Photo-oxidation and biodegradation of commercial photodegradablepolyethylenes, 46Polymer Degradation and Stability (1994) 211.
A-C Albertsson et al Dept. of Polymer Technology, Royal Institute of Technology,Stockholm Degradation product pattern and morphology changes as means to
differentiate abiotically and biotically aged degradable polyethylenePolymer vol.36 no.
16, (1995) 3075
G Scott et al Degradable Polymers in Waste and Litter ControlDegradable Polymers:
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Principles and Applications, Chapman & Hall, 1995, Chapter 13.
J.Guillet Plastics and the EnvironmentDegradable Polymers: Principles andApplications, Chapman & Hall, 1995, Chapter 12.
G.Scott Biodegradable Polymers,Polymers and the Environment, Royal Society ofChemistry, 1999, Chapter 5.
G.Scott The role of Environmentally Degradable Polymers in Waste ManagementWastes Management, May 1999, 38-39.
G.Scott Green Polymers, 68Polymer Degradation & Stability (2000) 1-7
G.Scott Environmentally degradable polyolefins: When, Why and HowExpert group
meeting on Environmentally degradable plastics, Present Status and perspectives, ICS-UNIDO, Trieste, 2001, p. 37-48.