Growth covers biodegradable: Sustainable forest reforestation with plastic-free growth covers made of vulcanised fibre

Dry summers and mild winters have severely damaged native forestsinmany areas of Germany. As a result of this constellation, tree diseases are spreading and bark beetles are also multiplying rapidly, forcing entire forest stands to be cut downto containthem. According to a Article from the January 2020 issue of Die Zeit 250,000 hectares offorest in Germany aredamaged, affecting millions of trees.Since the forest, in turn,is a precious treasure both ecologically as a habitat for animals and part of our weather system, and economically as an industrial space,the large-scale reforestation projectsmentioned are absolutely necessary.

Conventional growth covers - the plastic problem of reforestation

In our domestic forests, mainly growth covers made of PP, PE, HDPE up to PVC plastics are used, which have to be collected again after their average application time of several years. You can read about the damage this causes in the HFR article. It is true that there are already covers based on bioplastics that are supposed to be oxo-biodegradable. These are materials such as polypropylene with the addition of, for example, starch from renewable raw materials. However, these products already decompose into environmentally harmful particulate plastic components such as persistent and mobile microplastics during the use phase. Nevertheless, growth covers are of essential importance. They protect young trees from browsing by game and competing flora and thus make an important contribution to reforestation projects.

In order to meet both challenges, i.e. reducing plastic waste in forestry and supporting reforestation projects, experts are trying to use substitute materials instead of plastic for growth covers in the future.

These plastic substitutes must have two properties.

They must be bio-based, which means: they must consist partly or preferably entirely of plant-based and thus renewable raw materials. They must also be biodegradable. This means that the substitutes decompose completely under natural conditions by microorganisms toCO2 and water within a reasonable period of time. Both properties are deliberately named separately, because a biodegradable material does not necessarily have to be bio-based. Forestry must therefore focus on materials that combine both properties.

Grow covers made from biodegradable materials

The property "biodegradable" requires closer examination. Various test standards are available to prove this suitability. These standards define certain environmental conditions such as industrial composting, home composting or composting in the soil. The test standards of the OECD 301 (A-F) and OECD 302 (A-C) test series, as well as the DIN EN13432/DIN EN 14995 standard, have already been established for this purpose.

Biobased and biologically degradable without residues: the vulcanised fibre

Vulkanfiber offers a way out of the plastic dilemma in German forests. This is completely plastic-free and consists of 100 percent renewable raw material cellulose in the form of high-quality special paper. In particular, certain cellulose is used for this purpose. The special cellulose fibres required for this come exclusively from certified forest management (FSC / PEFC). The material is also extremely hard, tough and wear-resistant, so that it guarantees sufficient protection against browsing by game and competing flora.

In the area of biodegradability, too, vulcanized fiber is convincing all along the line and degrades completely and without residues in home compost. We are already developing the first prototypes of growth covers made of vulcanised fibre as part of a research project funded by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) and other project partners in order to pave the way for more sustainable and plastic-free forestry in Germany.

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