The company Planet Polymer Technologies Inc (9985 Businesspark Avenue, Suite A, San Diego, CA 92131 / USA), a specialist in the development and manufacture of biologically degradable plastics materials, has introduced the "EnviroPlastic" product line to the German market. According to the company, the special organo-chemical basic structure of these plastic types gives the same processing characteristics as PE and PP. Transparent or coloured products for medical, hygiene, packaging, disposable cutlery and dishes, or agricultural applications can be produced either by extrusion or injection moulding. The rapidity of degradation, either by UV light, water or under composting conditions can be set individually, depending on the application, and can vary between a few seconds to several years. To demonstrate possible applications within the plastic manufacturing industry, several "EnviroPlastic" materials were processed by two German plastics machinery manufacturers. Extrusion manufacture was performed using equipment from the company Paul Kiefel Extrusionstechnik GmbH (Cornelius-Heil-Strasse 49, D-67547 Worms) and injection moulding using equipment from Dr Boy GmbH (Neschenerstr. 6, D-53577 Neustadt).

Planet Polymer was founded in 1991 and already has subsidiaries in Singapore and Canada, as well as exclusive marketing and sales arrangements in Japan and South Korea. In Germany the company's interests are represented by Syha & Schubert Environmental Consulting (PO Box 1647, D-61406 Oberursel).

The present sales range of the "EnviroPlastic" includes the "H" series which are water soluble polymers based on polyethylene oxide; compostible "C" series polymers for foil applications and optically biodegradable additives or PE-based polymers of the "U" series. Planet Polymer also offers a compostible, transparent type ("Z") for injection moulding and extrusion, as well as a fibre-reinforced recycled PP ("RCF") used in the packaging, automobile, construction and Aerospace industries.

READER SERVICE: Company Brochure Planet Polymer technologies, with technical details of the product range (English/German): PIE-No. 37974.