Telles Customer Cortec Corporation to Launch Biobased Film Products for Marine and Anaerobic Digestion Markets
Telles’ New Mirel P5001 Film Grade Resin Achieves Performance for Markets Requiring Anaerobic Digestion; Cortec to Deliver First Mirel P5001 Commercial Film Products.
Telles, a joint venture of Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX) and Archer Daniels Midland Company, today announced that Cortec® Corporation, a leading film producer located in St. Paul, Minnesota, has selected Mirel™ bioplastic for a new line of film products. Through a mutual development and commercialization effort, the two companies have developed proprietary processing and extrusion methods resulting in the first commercially viable finished flexible film products made from the new biobased Mirel P5001 film grade resin.
“Our combined effort with the Telles technical team to develop a unique method of extrusion-blown film products has resulted in a process innovation,” explained Boris Miksic, president and CEO with Cortec. “The combination of Mirel film resin with the new extrusion and processing method delivers practical and diverse benefits for end-users, including multiple end-of-life options.”
Cortec is launching two new products based on Mirel P5001—EcoOcean™ and Eco Works® AD. EcoOcean is for marine biodegradable markets and Eco Works AD is designed to meet the demands of anaerobic digestion systems, offering various disposal options for bioplastic products. Cortec’s biodegradable films are available in more than 70 countries worldwide.
EcoOcean and Eco Works AD will be available through these sales channels upon launch.
“EcoOcean will revolutionize the use of flexible packaging, especially in coastal areas of the world,” said Miksic. “Eco Works AD is the result of more than 13 years of development work and finally achieves the high renewable content that was previously unattainable in a flexible film that has a range of disposal options after use. Mirel P5001 is a remarkable bioplastic material.”
Mirel P5001 was tested to ASTM D7081 standard specification for biodegradation in marine environments by the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) in Natick, Massachusetts, which concluded that Mirel P5001 is fully marine biodegradable. Organics Waste Systems (OWS), Belgium, tested P5001 per ASTM D5511 standard test method for anaerobic biodegradation and found that it achieved 100 percent biodegradation in 15 days. Mirel P5001 is also BPI certified to ASTM D6400 and Vinçotte certified to EN 13432 standards for compostable plastics, Vinçotte certified for OK Soil Biodegradable in natural soil and OK Water Biodegradable in fresh water.
About Cortec Corporation
Cortec® Corporation is the world leader in innovative corrosion protection solutions for packaging, metalworking, construction, electronics, water treatment, oil & gas, and other industries. Cortec was the first North American extruder of bioplastics to attain BPI certification for D6400 compostable plastics and to offer a full commercial line of bioplastic innovations including flexible film versions of PLA (Eco Works), cryogenic packaging (Eco Film®), drawtape bag (Eco Works), stretch, masking, and cling film (EcoWrap®), anti-static films (EcoCorr® ESD), corrosion inhibiting (EcoCorr, EcoCorr ESD), shrink with clarity (Eco Works 70 Shrink), and jointly developed offshore drilling films. Cortec manufactures over 450 products distributed worldwide with five plants in the U.S., one in Europe, and sales channel partners in over 70 countries. ISO 9001 & ISO 14001:2004 Certified. www.cortecvci.com
About Mirel Bioplastics
Mirel is a family of bioplastic materials that have physical properties comparable to petroleum-based resins, yet are biobased and biodegradable in natural soil and water environments, in home composting systems, and in industrial composting facilities where such facilities are available. The rate and extent of Mirel’s biodegradability will depend on the size and shape of the articles made from it. However, like nearly all bioplastics and organic matter, Mirel is not designed to biodegrade in conventional landfills.
Commercial grades of Mirel are available for injection molding, thermoforming, sheet extrusion, and film applications. For more information please visit www.mirel.com.
About Metabolix
Founded in 1992, Metabolix, Inc. is an innovation-driven bioscience company focused on providing sustainable solutions for the world’s needs for plastics, chemicals and energy. The
Company is taking a systems approach, from gene to end product, integrating sophisticated biotechnology with advanced industrial practice. Metabolix is now developing and commercializing Mirel™, a family of high performance bioplastics which are biobased and biodegradable alternatives to many petroleum-based plastics, through Telles, a joint venture of Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland Company. Metabolix is also developing biosourced industrial chemicals and a proprietary platform technology for co-producing plastics, chemicals and energy, from crops such as switchgrass, oilseeds and sugarcane.
For more information, please visit www.metabolix.com. (MBLX-G)
Source: http://www.ecofilm.com
DaniMer Scientific Engages CCR in Milan to Promote its Products and Technology across Europe
DaniMer Scientific has announced a new partnership with CCR in Milan. This partnership with the Italian firm will enable a focus on marketing of DaniMer’s biodegradable resins throughout Europe. Taking advantage of new legislation to reduce the use of traditional PE shopping bags, DaniMer looks to build on its success in the US, creating a market in EU for its compostable bio resins.
“Breaking into the European market is a huge opportunity for our company and working with CCR will help us make an impact across many countries,” said Blake Lindsey, President, DaniMer Scientific. “With so many people and organizations moving toward environmentally conscious packaging and products, we look forward to introducing our biodegradable resins and technology to different organizations, helping them make a difference.”
DaniMer is a global leader in the research and development of biopolymers derived from renewable sources, working to bring more environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastics. Over the years, DaniMer has developed a series of bio resins. In 2006, DaniMer helped International Paper launch the Ecotainer with the first compostable extrusion coating resin as an alternative to PE. In addition, DaniMer has developed resins for films made from renewable resources for use in film products like shopping bags, or bags for waste collection. Most recently, DaniMer has developed a new hot melt adhesive from renewable resources which is both compostable and repulpable.
“We are very proud of our hot melt adhesives, which are based on biodegradable polymers,” added Lindsey. “These bio-resin adhesives are manufactured using renewable materials rather than the petroleum derived materials used to make traditional hot melt adhesives.”
CCR markets products produced in Italy and globally through a network of partners in the main European countries as company representatives. Over the past few years, CCR has grown its portfolio of products bringing a new set of solutions in the packaging field in accordance with environmentally friendly requirements. For more information about CCR, visit: www.ccrsas.com.
About Danimer Scientific:
DaniMer Scientific believes people’s lives can be improved and the environment can be better protected by utilizing renewable resources to manufacture articles that are intended for short-term use. One of the company’s goals is to reduce dependence on petroleum, enabling people and communities to benefit from environmentally friendly products.For more information about DaniMer Scientific, please visit: www.danimer.com.
Dow and Mitsui to Produce Biopolymers from Sugar-Cane Based Ethanol
Mitsui of Tokyo, Japan and the Dow Chemical Company have formed a joint venture and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to deliver sustainable products to the international versatile, high-performance hygiene, medical and packaging markets. This joint venture is Dow’s largest investment in Brazil.
As per the terms of the agreement, Mitsui will acquire 50% equity interest in the sugar cane growing process of Dow in Brazil. The initial scope of the partnership includes manufacturing sugar cane-derived ethanol as a renewable source for feedstock, offering innovative, biomass-based feedstocks to Dow.
Mitsui and Dow will feature a large integrated facility to produce biopolymers manufactured from clean ethanol extracted from sugar-cane. The project aims at formulating low carbon solutions to deal with the pressing issues like energy demands and climate variations.
Biopolymers manufactured at this facility will be a renewable option resulting in the manufacture of high-performance plastics with a small carbon footprint and an immediate substitute to suit the medical, packaging and hygiene markets. These Biopolymers will deliver clients a sustainable environment with the same performance.
The project will involve the building of a sugarcane-to-ethanol production plant in Santa Vitória, which is anticipated to come about in the third quarter of 2011. The project is anticipated to end before the end of 2011. Financial details of the project is not revealed.
Source: http://www.dow.com/
Via: www.azom.com
Cereplast to Hold Public Online Forum to Discuss Proposed Usage Guidelines and Licensing Requirements for New Bioplastics Symbol
New symbol designed to raise awareness of bioplastics amongst consumers
Public can vote at: http://www.iizuu.com/cereplast
Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP), a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable plastics, and creator of the symbol, will host an online forum from July 25, 2011 to August 12, 2011 for the public to engage in an interactive discussion regarding its proposed usage guidelines and licensing requirements for the new bioplastics symbol. This symbol has been created to enable consumers to choose environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional plastics without reading complicated labels and product literature.
"This symbol was created by Cereplast to raise awareness of bioplastics for use in consumer products, from everyday items such as disposable food containers to larger items such as children's accessories," said Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast. "By increasing education around the benefits of bioplastics, more consumers will realize they have the choice to ask retailers for options that help protect and preserve the environment. We are pleased to open the discussion on usage guidelines to the general public, as it is everyday consumers who will be using this symbol as a guide to make purchasing decisions. Cereplast is committed to ensuring unbiased oversight of the bioplastics symbol; as such we will appoint an independent entity to oversee the usage of the symbol by manufacturers globally."
The new bioplastics symbol was born on April 21, 2011 as a result of a nationwide design competition hosted by Cereplast. The goal of the bioplastics symbol is to help consumers to identify products and packaging made from bioplastics. It is intended to be used in a similar fashion as the renowned recycling symbol, which helps consumers identify products that are recyclable or made from recycled materials.
Cereplast has applied for trademark registration and is currently conducting a thorough due diligence process to determine the guidelines for the use and licensing of the symbol. Cereplast invites the public to express its views, opinions and suggestions on the guidelines viahttp://www.iizuu.com/cereplast from July 25, 2011 through August 12, 2011. After the initial forum period, Cereplast will revise the proposed usage guidelines and licensing agreement and again enlist the public to comment on the finalized rules. The bioplastics symbol is expected to become available for use by product manufacturers no later than November 15, 2011.
Background on the Bioplastic Symbol Competition
The "Make Your Mark" design competition, which was modeled after the 1970 contest that produced the globally recognized recycling symbol seen on recycled and recyclable products today, received over 1500 design entries and 4.5 million public votes, which determined the top 200 designs. A renowned panel of judges including world-class industrial designer, Karim Rashid, and the designer of the recycling symbol, Gary Anderson, selected the winning symbol.
About Bioplastics
Bioplastics are biobased and/or are biodegradable (including compostable, marine and soil biodegradable, and aerobic and anaerobic digestible) plastics that provide consumers and manufacturers with a revolutionary option to help safeguard the environment and support a sustainable future. Bioplastic resin is used to manufacture products including tableware, cutlery, toys, healthcare and hygiene products,bottles and containers, bags, packaging, gift cards, printed displays, straws, pipes, conduits, furniture, fashion accessories and many other products.
About Cereplast, Inc.
Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary biobased, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with petroleum-based plastics. On the cutting-edge of biobased plastic material development, Cereplastnow offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables® Resins are ideally suited for single use applications where high biobased content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry.
Cereplast Sustainables™ Resins combine high biobased content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging. Learn more at www.cereplast.com. You may also visit the Cereplast social networking pages at Facebook.com/Cereplast, Twitter.com/Cereplast and Youtube.com/Cereplastinc.
Source: www.cereplast.com
PepsiCo Beverages Canada Unveils the 7UP EcoGreen™ Bottle, Canada's First Soft Drink Bottle Made from 100 Percent Recycled PET Plastic
Building on its journey to become a leader in innovation and environmental sustainability, PepsiCo Beverages Canada today announced the introduction of the 7UP EcoGreen™ bottle, Canada's – and North America's – first soft drink bottle made from 100 percent recycled PET plastic.
The development of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle is a significant achievement for PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) and a breakthrough for the Canadian beverage sector because the company has identified a way to couple existing technology with the best sources of recycled PET plastic and best-in-class processing techniques to produce a 100 percent recycled PET, food-grade bottle that meets all regulatory requirements and is of the highest quality. Creating a bottle made from 100 percent recycled plastic for soft drinks is more challenging than creating a bottle for non-carbonated beverages because of the stress on materials from carbonation pressure.
By introducing the 7UP EcoGreen bottle in Canada, PepsiCo Beverages Canada will reduce the amount of virgin plastic used by approximately six million pounds over the course of one year. Studies published by the Association for Post-Consumer Plastic Recyclers in 2010, estimate this reduced use of virgin plastic will lead to a reduction of more than 30 percent in greenhouse gas emissions and more than 55 percent in energy use, based on current 7UP production levels.
"After three years of research and development, we have cracked the code to commercially develop a soft drink bottle made from 100 percent recycled PET plastic, and Canada has proudly led the way," said Richard Glover, President, PepsiCo Beverages Canada. "Consumers want products and packaging that reflects their desire to protect the environment, and PepsiCo is committed to delivering on that with this kind of world-class innovation."
"At Pitch-In Canada we initiate recycling and composting programs to clean up and beautify streams, wilderness and urban areas," said Misha Cook, Executive Director, Pitch-In Canada, one of Canada's oldest not-for-profit environmental organizations. "Any action that reduces the use of virgin plastic by approximately six million pounds annually gets my nod of approval. I commend PepsiCo Beverages Canada and its 7UP brand for taking this important step, and I encourage other manufacturers to follow their lead. Together, we can make a significant difference."
The 7UP EcoGreen bottle will be available across all 7UP and Diet 7UP package sizes beginning in early August, and will look and feel like any other PET plastic soft drink bottle – consumers will not detect a difference to the packaging or refreshing taste of Canada's number one lemon lime soft drink.
The bottle will be produced in multiple PepsiCo manufacturing facilities across Canada. The company invested $1 million in production enhancements in its facilities, including resin handling systems and inspection systems. Although there will be an incremental cost to produce the 7UP EcoGreen bottle, PepsiCo Beverages Canada plans to price 7UP beverages on par with other soft drink brands.
PepsiCo Beverages Canada's long-term plan is to increase the use of bottles made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Currently, PepsiCo leads the industry by incorporating an average of 10 percent recycled PET in its primary soft drink bottles in Canada and the U.S.
With this announcement, PepsiCo reinforces its steadfast commitment to Performance with Purpose and finding innovative sustainable packaging solutions. To drive progress against the company's goal of rethinking the way that it grows, sources, creates, packages and delivers its products to minimize the impact on land, PepsiCo adheres to the following guideposts for sustainable packaging:
- Reduce: Optimize the amount of packaging required through light weighting and minimizing the use of secondary and transport packaging. For example, Aquafina introduced the Eco-Fina bottle in 2009, the lightest bottle of its size among U.S. bottled water brands.
- Reuse: Reuse packaging materials and components.
- Recycle: Design packaging to be recyclable, use recycled content in our packaging and promote responsible recycling practices. In May 2011, PepsiCo began offering five options of eco-friendly, recyclable and compostable cups to Foodservice customers in the United States.
- Renew: Leverage packaging materials derived from renewable sources, as PepsiCo did when it introduced the world's first 100 percent plant-based PET plastic bottle in March 2011.
In 2011, PepsiCo Beverages Canada was named one of Canada's top 50 socially responsible companies by Maclean's magazine.
To download high-resolution images of the 7UP EcoGreen bottle, and/or related video and images, visit multimedia.pepsico.com.
About PepsiCo Canada
PepsiCo's businesses in Canada are organized into two business units. PepsiCo Foods Canada includes Frito Lay Canada and the Quaker Foods & Snacks business. PepsiCo Beverages Canada includes Pepsi, Gatorade and Tropicana business. For more information about our sustainability efforts, please visit http://www.pepsico.ca/en/Purpose/Environmental-Sustainability.html.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales each. Our main businesses -- Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay, and Pepsi Cola -- also make hundreds of other enjoyable and wholesome foods and beverages that are respected household names throughout the world. With net revenues of approximately $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment, including by conserving energy and water usage, and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support, and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
Coca-Cola inaugurates Valpré plant, introduces PlantBottle™ packaging to Africa
Coca-Cola South Africa has announced the opening of its new Valpré plant and the introduction of PlantBottle™ packaging to Africa. The new state-of-the-art facility will fill Valpré Spring Water in Heidelberg, southeast of Johannesburg. Selected for its close proximity to markets and distribution sites in the Guateng Region and a similar source water profile as Valpré's, the new plant will help Coca-Cola South Africa meet the needs of the increasing demand for bottled water in the country. The new Valpré plant is undergoing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification -- an internationally recognized program that is the accepted benchmark for design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. The design of facility maximizes recycled materials and makes optimal use of water and solar energy. It has a "zero to landfill" target.
The Company launched Coca-Cola's innovative PlantBottle™ packaging. This packaging has revolutionized the beverage industry as the first-ever recyclable PET plastic beverage bottle made from up to 30% plant that is 100% recyclable. This is the 10th market to launch the bottle in the world and the first in Africa. PlantBottle™ packaging has a lighter footprint on the environment due to its reduced dependence on nonrenewables such as petroleum. By the end of 2010 (in two years since its introduction in the United States), more than 2.5 bln PlantBottle™ packages had been produced, eliminating the equivalent of approximately 60 000 barrels of oil from our plastic bottles. In addition to the environmental aspects of the plant and the new PlantBottle™, the Heidelberg plant is run by a team of talented, black women operators. This reinforces Coca-Cola's commitment to positively impact the communities in which it operates. In 2010, Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO ofCoca-Cola announced the Company's 5 BY 20 pledge which aims to empower 5 million women by 2020 through the Coca-Cola system. This is one of several programmes in South Africa to meet this challenge.
Source: www.plastemart.com
Cereplast Signs Distribution Agreement with Polimernet Plastik to Expand Its Supply of Bioplastic Resin to the Turkish Market
Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP), a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable plastics, entered into a distribution agreement with Polimernet Plastik Ltd. ("Polimernet Plastik") to supply Cereplast bioplastic resins to the Turkish market.
"Cereplast has entered into six European distribution agreements in 2011, and this partnership with Polimernet Plastik is a clear indication of the explosive demand for bioplastic resin sweeping across the pan-European marketplace," said Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast, Inc. "This is another step in our growth strategy to secure quality distribution partners in key regions, such as Turkey. Turkey is one of the first three countries in Europe who have forged forward with adopting bioplastic material for products and packaging in an attempt to help safeguard the environment."
Under the terms of the agreement, Polimernet Plastik will supply Cereplast Compostables® resin to product and package manufacturers in Turkey. The contract includes a minimum of 100 tons of Cereplast resin per month for 2011, a number to grow in 2012 and beyond. With 8% GDP growth, Turkey is benefiting from the strongest economic prosperity in Europe, and, in terms of bioplastic market share in Europe, the country ranks third, after Italy and Germany. According to European Plastics, the bioplastics industry in Europe is growing at a rate of roughly 20% each year.
"We are excited about our collaborative agreement with Cereplast, as its proprietary compostable resin products are an effective solution for our customers as they seek to meet an alternative to petroleum-based plastic which is harmful to the environment," said Selim Güven, General Manager at Polimernet Plastik. "We are committed to bringing our clients, in Turkey, the most innovative and highest quality biobased materials for the manufacturing of their products and packaging needs."
Polimernet Plastik will use the Cereplast Compostable 3000 and the Cereplast Compostable 7003 film grades to produce bioplastic film for garbage bags, food packaging and t-shirt bags. This bioplastic film is designed to have a balance of puncture strength, toughness, and can be processed on existing blown film extrusion machines. Cereplast Compostable 3000 and 7003 are proprietary patented formulations, which includes Ingeo PLA.
About Cereplast, Inc.
Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary biobased, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with petroleum-based plastics. On the cutting-edge of biobased plastic material development, Cereplast now offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables® Resins are ideally suited for single use applications where high biobased content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry. Cereplast Sustainables™ Resins combine high biobased content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging. Learn more at www.cereplast.com. You may also visit the Cereplast social networking pages at Facebook.com/Cereplast, Twitter.com/Cereplast and Youtube.com/Cereplastinc.
ABOUT POLIMERNET PLASTIK LTD.
Polimernet Plastik Ltd. ("Polimernet Plastik") is one of the leading companies in Turkey that specializes in polycarbonate water bottle scrap manufacturing. Polimernet Plastik's proprietary breakthrough three-step cleaning process creates products that are free from contamination, residue and pc dust, providing earth friendly plastics for product manufacturing. Polimernet Plastik's processing capabilities include sheet extrusion, compounding, injection molding, etc. Polimernet is part of the Nuh Group. For more information, please visit www.polimernet.com.
Casey Container Signs Binding $4 Million Equity Funding Agreement for Its PET Biodegradable Plastics Preforms Production Facilities
Casey Container Corp. (OTCQB: CSEY) (OTCBB: CSEY) (www.caseycontainer.com) has signed a binding $4 million equity Funding Agreement to build biodegradable PET plastics preforms and bottling production facilities. The $4 million will be funded in tranches over a twelve-month period. The first tranche of $400,000 is anticipated to be received this month.
The Agreement was signed with Crown Hospitality Group, LLC, ("Crown"), an affiliate of CEG Fund Ltd. ("CEG"). In February 2011, Casey signed a Letter of Intent with CEG for several international PET biodegradable plastics preform/bottling production facilities.
Martin R. Nason, Casey Container President and Chief Executive Officer said, "The first $400,000 enables Casey to set up its first PET biodegradable plastics production facility in the greater Tampa, Florida area and begin shipping biodegradable preforms, which we anticipate in late September or early October 2011. We've experienced a large increase in website traffic due to our expanded website and SEO efforts, which has stimulated promising discussions with many prospective domestic and international customers interested in ordering preforms."
Nason further stated, "We're excited about Crown's decision to directly invest in Casey Container Corp. and partner with us to accelerate our expansion in the U. S. alongside the natural expansion internationally with CEG. Although there is no guarantee or assurance a Definitive Agreement for the international factories will be signed, it confirms that Crown recognizes the need for viable PET biodegradable plastics solutions and underscores their confidence that Casey will be a successful company in providing green and environmentally friendly packaging and biodegradable plastics solutions worldwide."
Casey's strategy is in response to the growing domestic and international demand for green, sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging and viable PET biodegradable plastic bottle and container solutions. The Company is confident that its target customers are aware of the need to be environmentally friendly and will replace non-biodegradable bottles and containers with Casey's biodegradable plastics solutions.
Crown will receive Restricted Common shares equal to the total number of shares outstanding as of July 1, 2011. Casey will file Form 8-K with the SEC regarding the Funding Agreement.
About Casey Container Corp.
Casey Container is engaged in the design and custom manufacture of biodegradable PET, HDPE and other plastic polymer preforms, bottles and containers for use in the bottled water, beverage and consumer products industries. Casey Container seeks to capture an increasing market share in this extremely large and growing sector by offering biodegradable plastics packaging solutions using the breakthrough science of the EcoPure® additive and technology.
Visit Casey's website at www.caseycontainer.com and follow us on Twitter @casey_container or become a fan on Facebook at Casey-Container-Corp
Source: marketwire.com
New Paramount British Standard for Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics
BS 8472 is a progressive model for plastic performance testing that meets the needs of current technology. EPI Environmental Products, a key manufacturer of eco-friendly materials has acknowledged the fact that the British Standards Institute has approved the BS 8472 standard for Oxo-Biodegradable plastics testing. The new standard will be useful as an additional tool for validation of Oxo-Biodegradable plastic performance and the environmental benefits that accrue.
As a pioneer in the development and commercialization of Oxo-Biodegradable plastics technology, EPI has taken on a leadership role in the development of appropriate standards. Previously, EPI was the sole Oxo-Biodegradable company pursuing the development of the ASTM D6954 standard, which served as the model for the new British standard. EPI was also a key contributor in the development of the British standard, and therefore takes pride in the fact there is now a watershed British standard in place that recognizes the distinct attributes of Oxo-Biodegradable plastics.
Currently, European standard EN 13432 is often incorrectly referenced as a plastic biodegradation standard, but this standard is only applicable to industrial composting conditions. Many of the misconceptions regarding degradation and biodegradation issues relating to Oxo-Biodegradable plastics were addressed in a comprehensive document for which EPI was again a key contributor, and which was recently submitted to DEFRA, the UK government environmental agency, by the British Plastics Federation.
EPI is looking forward to the establishment of the new British Standard as a benchmark for the assessment of Oxo- Biodegradable plastics and expects this standard to be a pre-cursor to new European standards that will further distinguish the performance of Oxo-Biodegradable plastics.
Readers who are keen to find out more about oxo-biodegradables should visit Interplas from September 27th-29th 2011 in Birmingham, UK, where there will be sessions aimed at explaining the technology in greater detail.
Source: http://www.eppm.com
