SYMPHONY
Oxo-biodegradable plastics offer real environmental benefits / Independent Life Cycle Assessment
An independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carried out by the Intertek Group (Whitehouse, New Jersey / USA; www.intertek.com), a leading provider of environmental quality and safety services has shown that the environmental credentials of oxo-biodegradable plastic carrier bags and bread bags incorporating the d2w additive of Symphony Environmental Technologies (Borehamwood / UK; www.symphonyplastics.com) are significantly ahead of other types of similar product, such as conventional and bio-based plastic bags.
Intertek had prepared an LCA in 2011 for the Environment Agency (London / UK; www.environment-agency.gov.uk) comparing the same types of plastic, but with terms of reference that prevented it from considering the effects of litter, one of 11 environmental impact categories. Key findings from the new LCA show that the oxo-biodegradable bag performed 75% better than the conventional bag in the litter category; in all other categories the two types were almost the same. In contrast, the bio-based bag had the worst performance in 10 of the 11 categories, being superior to the conventional bag only in the litter-effects category, but still inferior to the oxo-biodegradable bag.
The latest LCA report also says the impact of oxo-biodegradable plastics in landfill is the same as conventional plastics, with no anaerobic degradation and no emission of methane. Bio-based plastic bags, however, do emit methane in landfill. In addition, they cannot be recycled with conventional plastics in a mixed waste, post-consumer stream without compromising the recycling process, whereas oxo-biodegradable plastics can be recycled.
Commenting on the LCA report, Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony Environmental Technologies, said: “Plastic litter is a serious problem, which cannot be ignored by calling it a ‘behavioural issue’. While only 0.75% of plastic carrier bags enter the litter stream each year, this amounts to over 48m bags in the UK alone, as estimated in this LCA.”
Symphony says this new LCA sends a clear message to supermarkets, bakeries and other commercial users of plastic products. Its d2w additive is currently available from 67 distributors representing 95 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, where oxo-biodegradable technology is compulsory for a wide range of plastic products – see PIEweb of 21.02.2012.
Intertek had prepared an LCA in 2011 for the Environment Agency (London / UK; www.environment-agency.gov.uk) comparing the same types of plastic, but with terms of reference that prevented it from considering the effects of litter, one of 11 environmental impact categories. Key findings from the new LCA show that the oxo-biodegradable bag performed 75% better than the conventional bag in the litter category; in all other categories the two types were almost the same. In contrast, the bio-based bag had the worst performance in 10 of the 11 categories, being superior to the conventional bag only in the litter-effects category, but still inferior to the oxo-biodegradable bag.
The latest LCA report also says the impact of oxo-biodegradable plastics in landfill is the same as conventional plastics, with no anaerobic degradation and no emission of methane. Bio-based plastic bags, however, do emit methane in landfill. In addition, they cannot be recycled with conventional plastics in a mixed waste, post-consumer stream without compromising the recycling process, whereas oxo-biodegradable plastics can be recycled.
Commenting on the LCA report, Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony Environmental Technologies, said: “Plastic litter is a serious problem, which cannot be ignored by calling it a ‘behavioural issue’. While only 0.75% of plastic carrier bags enter the litter stream each year, this amounts to over 48m bags in the UK alone, as estimated in this LCA.”
Symphony says this new LCA sends a clear message to supermarkets, bakeries and other commercial users of plastic products. Its d2w additive is currently available from 67 distributors representing 95 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, where oxo-biodegradable technology is compulsory for a wide range of plastic products – see PIEweb of 21.02.2012.
30.05.2012 Plasteurope.com [222432-0]
Published on 30.05.2012