Water-soluble PVOH film

[What are water-soluble Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA/PVOH) films?]

Water-soluble PVA/PVOH films are best known as the material that encapsulates laundry detergents and dishwasher “capsules” that are increasingly popular with consumers. Each capsule contains a pre-measured dose of laundry or dishwasher detergent. It means household chores are simpler, cleaner and safer because the capsules eliminate the need to pour and measure detergent liquid or powders. They also enable better cleaning and can reduce shipping costs and transportation emissions, as they use more concentrated detergent ingredients.

Many of the popular laundry detergent and dishwasher brands used today have water-soluble PVA film technology produced by MonoSol.

[What are MonoSol's water-soluble PVA films made of? And is it plastic?]

MonoSol’s water-soluble films are made from polyvinyl alcohol, also known as PVOH or PVA.

PVOH / PVA is safe for people and the environment. It is used in many household, medical and personal-care applications, including laundry detergents as well as other detergent capsules, textile yarns, paper products, unit-dose pharmaceuticals, “artificial tears” used to treat dry eyes and even contact lens lubricants.

The film completely dissolves upon contact with water, and therefore does not contribute to plastic or microplastic pollution.

[Is Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH/PVA) safe?]

The safe use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH / PVA) is documented and recognized by the USA Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH / PVA) is a polymer made from Ethylene Gas and Acetic Acid. It is colorless, odorless, biodegradable and non-toxic. It is used in household, medical and personal-care applications. It dissolves completely upon disposal in water and is consumed by bacterial microorganisms after use. Its unique safety and environmental profile make polyvinyl alcohol an ideal material for certain everyday products, such as laundry detergents, and it is safe for people and the environment.

[What is "Safer Choice"?]

MonoSol has products approved in the EPA Safer Choice database. This program helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.

[What is Polyvinyl Alcohol's (PVOH/PVA) environmental impact?]

MonoSol’s water-soluble films dissolve completely upon contact with water and are biodegradable. They do not persist in the environment, contaminate the recycling stream or contribute to plastic or microplastic pollution. This is why many leading consumer product and retail companies are excited about the potential of polyvinyl alcohol films to help them reduce the environmental impact of products like laundry detergents.

The grade of PVA / PVOH produced by MonoSol and used in laundry capsules is not plastic and does not contribute to plastic pollution or microplastic pollution.

[Are MonoSol's polyvinyl alcohol films biodegradable?]

The water-soluble PVOH / PVA film completely dissolves upon contact with water, does not contribute to microplastic pollution, and is designed to be safe for the environment. The film naturally breaks down into water and carbon dioxide when consumed by bacterial microorganisms. MonoSol’s film meets all regulatory safety criteria, including the OECD 301 criteria for biodegradability (OECD 301B), which is widely used by regulatory agencies around the world.

[What happens to the water-soluble PVA film once it dissolves?]

MonoSol’s film naturally biodegrades into the environment.

MonoSol’s entire portfolio of materials is tested for biodegradation in the relevant environmental compartment(s) using 3rd party testing services. OECD 301 is the most used screening test for chemistries with down-the-drain uses, such as MonoSol’s films, to determine the material’s propensity to biodegrade in environmentally relevant conditions. These tests are conservative and stringent by design and provide very limited opportunity for biodegradation, the idea being that a material giving a favorable result in such a screening test should biodegrade very rapidly and effectively in the environment. All of these tests were developed as rapid screening tests that are performed under highly conservative conditions so as to demonstrate the biodegradability of the test material under worst-case scenarios, e.g., using very low ratios of microorganisms to test material as compared to environmental conditions.

[What is the difference between MonoSol water-soluble PVA films and bio plastics?]

MonoSol’s water-soluble films are fundamentally different in both composition and end-of-life performance when compared to bioplastics.

Our water-soluble films dissolve completely upon contact with water, naturally breaking down into water and carbon dioxide when consumed by bacterial micro-organisms. They do not persist in the environment, contaminate the recycling stream or contribute to plastic or microplastic pollution.

Bioplastics can be soluble or insoluble in water and are typically made from plant or animal products. When used, they may be blended with water-resistant polymers to make them useful in packaging applications. Unlike MonoSol’s water-soluble films, however, such bioplastic blends may not completely dissolve and are potentially a concern when they are non-water soluble because they could contaminate the typical recycling stream.

[How else is water-soluble PVA film used?]

MonoSol produces water-soluble films that can be used in various consumer products and business-to-business industries. These films can be applied in a range of applications, including health products, pool and spa chemicals (to prevent homeowners from touching, pouring, or measuring chemicals) and advanced transfer printing and embroidery techniques.