The revolutionary technology behind enhanced biodegradability
Unique enzymes embedded in Otratex™ during its production give this phthalate-free vinyl its enhanced biodegradability. Within 30 years, the material fully decomposes when placed in an anaerobic environment such as a landfill, returning to the natural elements that comprise it.
Once in an oxygen-deprived environment, Otratex™ attracts microbes that colonize its surface. The microorganisms secrete enzymes that, in turn, attract copious amounts of water. The water expands Otratex’s™ surface, providing the microbes with access to the chemical polymers in the material.
Microbes break Otratex’s™ polymer chains into simple organic monomers, with microorganisms eating different parts of the polymer as well as any by-products from the reaction. This degradation continues until every chain is reduced to its raw elements, with only biomass (humus) and biogasses (methane and carbon dioxide) left behind.
