Patent ID: 7858675

Claim:
Process for increasing the rate of oxo-biodegradation of a carbon-containing polymer that can degrade in an outdoor environment, primarily by an oxidative mechanism, to give after complete oxo-biodegradation mainly carbon dioxide and water, which process at least comprises the step of adding a component containing at least one 1,2-oxo-hydroxy-moiety according to formula I to the carbon-containing polymer, with the proviso that when X is OH, the composition is essentially free of transition metals: with X and Y being identical or different from each other, and representing respectively: X: OR, SR, NR 1 R 2 , R, O − M + ; Y: OR, SR, NR 1 R 2 , R; R, NR 1 R 2 : a group selected independently from one another from the groups consisting of H, an optionally substituted C 1 -C 20 alkyl group, an optionally substituted C 6 -C 20 aryl group, an optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 alkylaryl group, and an optionally substituted C 7 -C 20 arylalkyl group, M + being an alkaline metal cation or earth alkaline metal cation, or an ammonium ion, and wherein X and Y may be joined together to form a cyclic structure of at least 5 carbon atoms, and/or with any of X or Y representing an oligomeric or a polymeric residue, which can optionally be substituted.