The Compostability of Grease-Resistant Paper: Examining Biodegradation, Disintegration and Eco-Toxicity.

Food packaging and food contact papers treated with a PFPE (perfluoropolyether) surfactant provide heat resistant and grease proof surfaces.  The same properties that make PFPE surfactants durable and ideal for food packaging and food contact applications also make them resistant to degradation.  Compostability examines the ability of products to breakdown under industrial composting conditions via 3 phases; biodegradation, disintegration, and eco-toxicity.  The biodegradation phase measures the mineralization of organic carbon to carbon dioxide; disintegration measures the physical breakdown of the PFPE coated paper; and eco-toxicity evaluates the effect the finished compost has on plant germination rates, overall growth and health.