Patent ID: 7098292

Claim:
An environmentally degradable molded or extruded article comprising: at least 5% parts by weight of an environmentally degradable thermoplastic polymer or copolymer; and at least 20% parts by weight of a polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer comprising at least two randomly repeating monomer units wherein a first monomer unit has structure (I) where R 1 is H, or C1 or C2 alkyl, and n is 1 or 2; and wherein a second monomer unit has structure (II) where R 2 is a C3–C19 alkyl or C3–C19 alkenyl, or the second monomer unit has structure (III) where m is from 2 to 9 wherein at least 80% of the randomly repeating monomer units has the structure of the first monomer unit; wherein an annealing cycle time to form the molded or extruded article is at least ten seconds less than an annealing cycle time to form a molded or extruded article lacking the environmentally degradable thermoplastic polymer or copolymer.