Updated: February 14, 2025
Sustainability has become a growing priority in various industries, from manufacturing to packaging. As a result, there has been a shift toward finding more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional materials that can negatively impact the environment. One such innovation is biodegradable adhesives. These products are meant to keep up with client demands while reducing unnecessary environmental harm.
What Are Biodegradable Adhesives?
Biodegradable adhesives are adhesives that can decompose or break down naturally over time without leaving behind any harmful residue. Unlike traditional adhesives that are often petroleum-based, they are often made of natural or renewable materials.
Some benefits of biodegradable adhesives include:
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Reducing Plastic Waste: Traditional adhesives are petroleum-based and can leave behind large amounts of harmful microplastics that can remain in landfills for many years. On the other hand, biodegradable adhesives are designed to break down and minimize the amount of microplastics left behind.
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Being Non-Toxic: Biodegradable glues are non-toxic and free of hazardous substances. As a result, they are much safer than traditional adhesives to handle.
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Improving Recyclability: Traditional adhesives in cardboard recycling may be problematic, but biodegradable adhesives can allow for easier recycling and composting without harmful residue being left behind.
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Complying with Regulations: As environmental concerns grow, many governments are putting strict regulations in place regarding plastic waste and recyclability. Biodegradable adhesive glues can help companies stay compliant with these requirements.
Traditional Hot Melt Vs. Biodegradable Glue Solutions
Traditional hot melt adhesives are petroleum-based, so they are not considered to be environmentally friendly or compostable adhesives. The two most popular types of hot melt adhesives are ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and polyolefin.
- Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives - This form of hot melt works well with paper and cellulosic materials and has a wide range of formulation. These adhesives set quickly, offer strong resistance properties, and operate in a moderate range of temperatures. They are used in the packaging, converting, paper, automotive, and assembly industries.
- Polyolefin adhesives- These adhesives are made with a catalyzed metallocene base. They have excellent adhesive qualities and an even faster set speed. They service a vast range of temperatures. These adhesives are also used in the packaging converting, and assembly industries, but they are limited in their range of available formulations.
More recently, there have been developments in the adhesives industry regarding biodegradable hot glue for packaging. These biodegradable glues have the usual properties of hot melts but have been tested under ASTM conditions and are biodegradable under industrial composting conditions. As compared to traditional hot melts, they can break down into natural elements at a much faster rate when exposed to oxygen, UV light, and heat.
For companies looking for a more environmentally friendly adhesive option, these products are an eco-conscious adhesive solution compared to traditional hot melts. They use materials derived from renewable resources and can be broken down by bacteria and other microorganisms.
What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable adhesives?
While all compostable products are also technically biodegradable, not all biodegradable products are compostable. The primary differences between something that is compostable and biodegradable are the amount of time it takes for the product to break down and the end results.
Compostable products are usually made of organic materials and can break down into natural elements in a compost facility in a certain amount of time. On the other hand, biodegradable products will still break down, but they may sometimes leave behind toxic waste and may also take a longer time to do so.
Some glue will break down when placed in a landfill given an extended amount of time. Obviously, we don't want products that last forever sitting in our landfills, so it is important to take note of how long it takes for the product to biodegrade. Some products degrade in months, while others take years. When trying to be more eco-friendly, the less time for biodegradation the better.
A product is compostable if it can break down into natural elements in an industrial composting facility at a rate similar to other organic materials. A compostable adhesive needs to undergo certain testing in order to be called "compostable." They generally also have to be placed in the right kind of conditions, like those found in an industrial composting facility, in order to break down at the accelerated rate. Compostable adhesives would take longer to break down if in a landfill, especially an "air-locked" landfill where there is no oxygen.
Is Glue Biodegradable? Is it Compostable?
Traditionally, environmentally friendly glues are not really a thing, but there have been some more recent breakthroughs in this area. Now there are glues that have undergone testing and meet ASTM D6400 standards for adhesives. They are 100% biodegradable and break down without leaving any harmful products, like microplastics, behind. These are the first 100% biodegradable glues of their kind, and they come in various forms for companies looking to be more environmentally conscious.
1. Bulk Option
These biodegradable hot glue pellets come in a 44-pound carton for companies using a lot of hot melt. Because of its large packaging size, the product is made for large-scale applications and should be stored away from direct sunlight in temperatures below 30°C.
2. Sticks
We offer both ½" biodegradable glue sticks for low adhesive outputs and ⅝" biodegradable hot melt glue sticks for high adhesive outputs. The ½" sticks are great for more precise applications and smaller packaging needs. In contrast, the ⅝" sticks are better for use with heavier substrates or larger materials.
3. Slugs
Compared to traditional hot melt, these more environmentally conscious glue slugs are made for high-volume, industrial packaging applications. They come in 1¾ inch (or 43 mm) pale amber slugs in a 22-pound case.
Looking for a more environmentally friendly glue solution for your company? If you are not sure which product to use or just want to learn more about compostable and biodegradable adhesive glues as a whole, we want to help. Reach out to us today to speak with an adhesive expert.
