Controlled-life or oxo-biodegradable plastic could significantly cut the amount of plastic waste polluting the UK’s towns, countryside and rivers, according to biodegradable plastics specialist Symphony Environmental Technologies (Borehamwood, Hertfordshire / UK; www.symphonyplastics.com), which developed the “d2w” range of degradable products and pro-degradant additives (www.d2w.net).

Symphony was reacting to the results of a two-month study carried out by the UK’s anti-litter campaign group Litter Heroes (www.litterheroes.co.uk) into the plastic waste, cans and bottles that get dumped across the country. The study named leading brands – including Coca-Cola and McDonald’s – that topped the list of packaging litter. Of almost 8,000 pieces of litter surveyed, drinks bottles and cans accounted for 34% of the litter, confectionary wrappers 18%, fast food packaging 13% and crisp packets 8%.

Michael Laurier, chief executive of Symphony Environmental Technologies, said: “Companies like these [those named in the study] can do without this kind of headline and it would be so easy for them to minimise the problem. Controlled-life plastic is the best answer to the growing problem of plastic waste, because we will never collect it all, and it will completely biodegrade if it gets out into the environment”.

Symphony introduced the first metallised, oxo-biodegradable crisp packet in 2009. As well as keeping crisps fresh for longer periods it also to minimises the problem of empty crisp packets adding to the waste accumulating in the environment. The company is represented in 92 countries and in the last 12 months enough of its d2w additive has been supplied to make over 5 bn plastic products – see Plasteurope.com of 17.04.2009.