ASTM D5525-94a

Standard Practice for Exposing Plastics to a Simulated Active Landfill Environment (Withdrawn 2002)

SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the exposure of plastics to a specific test environment. The test environment is a laboratory-scale reactor that simulates a landfill with enhanced biological activity. Biological activity is enhanced by adding moisture, recirculating leachate, and heating to 35°C. Plastic exposure occurs in the presence of a media undergoing anaerobic degradation. The standard media used in the practice simulates a municipal solid-waste stream. The practice allows for the use of other media to represent particular waste streams. This practice provides exposed specimens for further testing and for comparison with controls. This test environment does not necessarily reproduce conditions that could occur in a particular landfill.
1.2 Changes in the material properties of the plastic and controls should be determined using appropriate ASTM test procedures. Changes could encompass physical and chemical changes such as disintegration and degradation.
1.3 This practice may be used for different purposes. The interested parties therefore must select the following: exposure conditions from those allowed by this practice; criteria for a valid exposure, that is, minimum or maximum change requirements for the simulated landfill environment and controls; and magnitudes of material properties changes required for the plastic specimens.
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazards statements are given in Section 8.  Note 1-There is no similar or equivalent ISO standard.

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 31-Dec-1993
• Withdrawal Date: 31-Jul-2002
• ICS: 13.030.40 - Installations and equipment for waste disposal and treatment
• Technical Committee: D20 - Plastics
• Drafting Committee: D20.96 - Environmentally Degradable Plastics and Biobased Products

Standards Content (Sample)

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MAERIALS
1916 Race St. Phiiadelphia, Pa 19103
It)$ Designation: D 5525 - 94a
Reprinted from the Annual Rook of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASM
If not listed in the current combined inder, will appear in the ne^ edirion.
Standard Practice for
Exposing Plastics to a Simulated Active Landfill Environment‘
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 5525; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
original adoption
superscript epsilon IC) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope D 1898 Practice for Sampling of Plastics2
D 1922 Test Method for Propagation Tear Resistance of
1.1 This practice covers the exposure of plastics to a
Plastic Film and Thin Sheeting by Pendulum Method’
specific test environment. The test environment is a labora-
D3593 Test Method for Molecular Weight Averages and
tory-scale reactor that simulates a landfill with enhanced
Molecular Weight Distribution of Certain Polymers by
biological activity. Biological activity is enhanced by adding
Liquid Size-Exclusion Chromatography (Gel Perme-
moisture, recirculating leachate, and heating to 35°C. Plastic
ation Chromatography-(GPC) Using Universal
exposure occurs in the presence of a media undergoing
Calibration3
anaerobic degradation. The standard media used in the
D 3826 Practice for Determining Degradation End Point
practice simulates a municipal solid-waste stream. The
in Degradable Polyolefins Using a Tensile Test3
practice allows for the use of other media to represent
E I196 Test Method for Determining the Anaerobic
particular waste streams. This practice provides exposed
Biodegradation Potential of Organic Chemicals4
specimens for further testing and for comparison with
2.2 American Public Health Association Standard:
controls. This test environment does not necessarily repro-
5210 B. 5-Day BOD Test5
duce conditions that could occur in a particular landfill.
1.2 Changes in the material properties of the plastic and
3. Terminology
controls should be determined using appropriate ASTM test
3.1 DeJinitions-Definitions of terms applying to this
procedures. Changes could encompass physical and chemical
practice appear in Terminology D 883. Definitions in Termi-
changes such as disintegration and degradation.
nology D 883 supersede those presented in this section.
1.3 This practice may be used for different purposes. The
3.2 Descriptions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
interested parties therefore must select the following: expo-
3.2.1 anaerobic-a life process that occurs in the absence
sure conditions from those allowed by this practice; criteria
of oxygen (based on Ref (1)).6
for a valid exposure, that is, minimum or maximum change
3.2.2 anaerobic digester sludge-the semi-solid residue
requirements for the simulated landfill environment and
from an anaerobic biological reactor at a municipal waste-
controls; and magnitudes of material properties changes
water treatment system.
required for the plastic specimens.
3.2.3 biological reactor-a vessel in which living organ-
1.4 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
isms, usually microorganisms, catalyze a reaction.
standard. The values given in parentheses are for informa-
3.2.4 degradation-the process by which a chemical is
tion only.
reduced to a less complex form (1).
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.2.5 disintegration-physical breakup of a solid material.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.2.6 enhanced biological activity-an increased meta-
responsibility ofthe mer ofthis standard to establish appro-
bolic rate resulting from favorable environmental conditions.
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
3.2.7 inoculim-microorganisms placed in a simulated-
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. Specific hazards
landfill environment to start or accelerate biological action
statements are given in Section 8.
(1).
NOTE 1-There is no similar or equivalent IS0 standard.
3.2.8 landfill-a disposal site in which solid waste is
spread in layers, compacted to the smallest practical volume,
2. Referenced Documents
and covered at the end of each operating day (based on Ref
2.1 ASTM Standards:
(1)).
D 618 Practice for Conditioning Plastics and Electrical
3.2.9 leachate-a liquid that results from water collecting
Insulating Materials for Testing2
contaminants as it trickles through a waste (based on Ref
D 638 Test Method for Tensile Properties of Plastics’
(1)).
D 882 Test Methods for Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic
3.2.10 i~loistl~re-~loldiilg capacity (MHCj-the maximum
...