Designation:D5526−12StandardTestMethodforDeterminingAnaerobicBiodegradationofPlasticMaterialsUnderAcceleratedLandfillConditions1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD5526;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodcoversdeterminationofthedegreeandrateofanaerobicbiodegradationofplasticmaterialsinanaccelerated-landfilltestenvironment.Thistestmethodisalsodesignedtoproducemixturesofhouseholdwasteandplasticmaterialsafterdifferentdegreesofdecompositionundercon-ditionsthatresemblelandfillconditions.Thetestmaterialsaremixedwithpretreatedhouseholdwasteandexposedtoamethanogenicinoculumderivedfromanaerobicdigestersop-eratingonlyonpretreatedhouseholdwaste.Theanaerobicdecompositionoccursunderdry(morethan30%totalsolids)andstaticnonmixedconditions.Themixturesobtainedafterthistestmethodcanbeusedtoassesstheenvironmentalandhealthrisksofplasticmaterialsthataredegradedinalandfill.1.2Thistestmethodisdesignedtoyieldapercentageofconversionofcarboninthesampletocarboninthegaseousformunderconditionsthatresemblelandfillconditions.Itispossiblethatthistestmethodwillnotsimulateallconditionsfoundinlandfills,especiallybiologicallyinactivelandfills.Thistestmethodmorecloselyresemblesthosetypesoflandfillsinwhichthegasgeneratedisrecoveredorevenactivelypromoted,orboth,forexample,byinoculation(code-positionofanaerobicsewagesludgeandanaerobicleachaterecirculation),moisturecontrolinthelandfill(leachaterecirculation),andtemperaturecontrol(short-terminjectionofoxygenandheatingofrecirculatedleachate)(1-7).21.3Thistestmethodisdesignedtoproducepartiallyde-gradedmixturesofmunicipalsolidwasteandplasticsthatcanbeusedtoassesstheecotoxicologicalrisksassociatedwiththeanaerobicdegradationofplasticsaftervariousstagesofan-aerobicbiodegradationinalandfill.1.4Claimsofperforman...
