Beyond the guidelines: rethinking biodegradability testing for polymers

Modernising Biodegradability Testing for Polymers in Liquid Formulations

Beyond the guidelines: rethinking OECD biodegradability testing for polymers in liquid formulations, in conjunction with Croda.

Polymers in liquid formulations are widely used across sectors including detergents, personal care, agrochemicals and industrial applications — yet their environmental persistence remains poorly understood and inconsistently assessed. Traditional biodegradability testing frameworks, particularly those developed by the OECD, were not originally designed to evaluate the complex behaviour of these materials once released into the environment.

This webinar, delivered by Croda, explores the key findings of their recent RSC Sustainability perspective paper examining the limitations of current OECD biodegradability testing for polymers in liquid formulations. The session will discuss why existing methods may not adequately capture real-world degradation pathways, environmental exposure conditions, or the diversity of polymer chemistries used today.

Participants will gain insight into:

• Why polymers in liquid formulations present distinct assessment challenges
• Where current OECD testing frameworks fall short
• The implications for regulation, product design and environmental risk evaluation
• Emerging approaches and recommendations for more robust, meaningful testing

Bringing together scientific, regulatory and industry perspectives, this webinar will provide a timely discussion on how biodegradability assessment must evolve to support credible sustainability claims and better environmental protection.

Ideal for researchers, regulators, formulators and sustainability professionals, this session invites participants to rethink how biodegradability is defined, measured and governed in the context of modern polymer use.