Mushrooms Solutions

BIODEGRADABLE FILTER BAGS: AN INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FROM UNICORN BAGS FOR MUSHROOMS GROWING AND BIOCONTROL

UNICORN bags have always had a strong interest in sustainability and environmental car. That is why 15 years ago they developed a line of biodegradable filter bags, but by then they were ahead of their time, and users did not show much interest in this matter, so this project was stalled. 

But times are changing and now we are witnessing the growth of greater environmental awareness and this fact is also noticeable in Unicorn's customers: spawn laboratories, manufacturers of mushrooms substrates and companies dedicated to biocontrol, at this time there is beginning to be greater interest in this type of biodegradable bags. 

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In the last Mushrooms Days that took place in May in Hertogenbosch (Holland), UNICORN presented this new development of BIODEGRADABLE FILTER BAGS. It is the first manufacturer of filter bags for the spawn mushroom production, sterile substrates for the mushrooms cultivation and the production of biocontrol organisms for biological control, which has launched BIODEGRADABLE BAGS onto the market.

UNICORN BAGS can manufacture biodegradable filter bags of all its available models on request. 

Some of the questions posed by customers relate to how these bags degrade and the final products obtained after degradation.

UNICORN commissioned WILLOW RIDGE PLASTIC to analyze the materials used in these biodegradable bags. It can be concluded that the bags have good degradation and that the final result is CO2, water and humus.

These tests used standard protocols in a laboratory environment, so the actual degradation rates observed may vary. You can read the full report and get more details at this link . https://unicornbags.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Unicorn-Bags-Final-UV-Report.pdf

Our biodegradable filter bags use an additive that allows them to degrade by breaking down their chemical structure. Oxidation through heat or ultraviolet light leads to this degradation. Thus, our bags are OXO-BIODEGRADABLE.

“Oxo-biodegradable plastics are designed to biodegrade in ANY environment.  It cannot be guaranteed where a customer will dispose of the waste, therefore we have a technology that is an insurance policy to cover any environment it goes to.  That includes municipal waste, recycling centers, or even litter (accidental or otherwise).

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The final result of this biodegradation is CO2, water and humus, more or less what remains after they grow their mushrooms. There are no microplastics left.

An oxo-biodegradable plastic goes through a degradation phase and a biodegradation phase in a domestic composter, unlike other technologies. Because the technology does not require water and a lot of heat to work, it means that there is a lot of flexibility.

ASTM D6954 is the standard guide for testing oxo-biodegradable materials. 

This document from the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Foundation explains more about this material.

https://unicornbags.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/OBPF-overview-of-oxo-biodegradability-180501_1.pdf

The process of degradation of the bags starts from the very moment of manufacture. The process of biodegradation of the bags since the manufacture is about 1 year, in that time the bag will have degraded. Both the bag material and the filter are biodegradable. 

UNICORN BAGS can manufacture, upon request, biodegradable filter bags of the models that you want. 

For more information on the method of sterilization of biodegradable filter bags and to resolve your doubts in this regard 

Contact us for more information and to place orders  (info@mushrooms-solutions.com y-  www.mushrooms-solutions.com)