7. End of life

7.1 Biodegradation

A material is biodegradable if it can be assimilated by micro-organisms, which will digest it and produce mainly CO ₂ and water. Depending on the surrounding conditions (temperature, ambient humidity, types of micro-organisms), biodegradable materials take more or less time to degrade. To avoid any confusion, it is important to specify the conditions under which the material is biodegradable. The best practice is to mention the biodegradation standard that may apply to the material.