RCS - Symphony Environment - Research validating oxo-biodegradable technology

Symphony Environmental TechnologiesAnnouncement

08/10/2024 09:00

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RNS Number : 3546H  Symphony Environmental Tech. PLC  08 October 2024

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8 October 2024

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc

("Symphony", the "Company" or the "Group")

Further research validating oxo-biodegradable technology

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM:SYM), the global specialists in
technologies that make plastic and rubber products smarter, safer and more
sustainable, is pleased to announce articles and papers published by three
independent and highly credible institutions that support Symphony's
oxo-biodegradable technologies:

-     American National Standards Institute
(https://blog.ansi.org/astm-d6954-24-plastic-biodegradability/) ("ANSI");

-     Lambton Manufacturing Innovation Centre (https://www.lmic.ca/) ; and

-     US Environmental Protection Agency
(https://www.biodeg.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EPA-ACCELERATING-POLYMER-DEGRADATION-USING-PRO-OXIDANT-ADDITIVESFINAL-3.pdf)
("US EPA").

The CEO of Symphony, Michael Laurier commented that: "Our d2w technology is
now at the forefront of the sustainable plastics revolution and we are
delighted that these three highly credible papers expand upon an ever growing
body of evidence and underpin a growing realisation that this
oxo-biodegradable technology is a key solution,  available now, to deal with
plastic in the open environment. Their conclusions are resonating with our
current and prospective d2w customers, and we anticipate that this will
accelerate d2w sales over the medium term."

"More specifically, these papers confirm that, far from being "problematic
plastics" Symphony's d2w oxo-biodegradable plastics are essential to prevent
the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment which has escaped from
the circular economy and cannot be collected for recycling. They do biodegrade
if they become litter, without leaving microplastics, but they can be recycled
if they get collected."

ANSI article

This article entitled "ASTM D6954-24: Plastic Biodegradability" from ANSI was
published in March 2024  and states:

"Using oxo-biodegradable technology can prevent future contributions to the
accumulation of plastic waste that has escaped into the environment.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic serves as a solution to littered plastic because it
is recyclable and will degrade without releasing methane."

ANSI continues "It is important to note that oxo-biodegradable plastic is not
the same as oxo-degradable plastic. Oxo-degradable plastic (i.e. conventional
plastic) does not biodegrade but breaks into microplastics which are then
released into the environment and cause significant harm, especially to ocean
life. They quickly fragment into smaller and smaller pieces (i.e.,
microplastics) that do not break down at the molecular or polymer level like
biodegradable and compostable plastics. The resulting microplastics are left
in the environment indefinitely until they fully break down over a very long
period of time."

"By contrast, oxo-biodegradation means degradation resulting from oxidative
and cell-mediated phenomena, either simultaneously or successively
 CEN/TR15351 . The plastic degrades by oxidation until its molecular weight is
low enough to be accessible to bacteria and fungi, who then recycle it back
into nature. These plastics are tested for degradation, biodegradation, and
ecotoxicity according to ASTM D6954-24."

Lambton Manufacturing Innovation Centre (in Ontario, Canada)

Scientists at Lambton Manufacturing Innovation Centre (https://www.lmic.ca/)
in Ontario, Canada have also reported on "Degradation of plastics, and
microplastics formation" in September 2024. Their paper concluded that
oxo-degradable plastics [ie conventional plastics] create microplastics, but
oxo-biodegradable plastics do not."

They continue "Oxo-biodegradable plastics are both bioplastics and
biodegradable plastics.  They consist of a conventional plastic containing a
masterbatch. The masterbatch causes the molecular chains to be dismantled by
oxidation so that the material is no longer a plastic and becomes
biodegradable.  Light and heat will accelerate the process, but it will
continue even in dark, cold, conditions.  Moisture is not necessary for
oxidation and does not prevent it."

"Ordinary plastic and oxo-biodegradable plastic lose their strength and fall
apart at about the same time when exposed to sunlight, but the fragments of
ordinary plastic have a molecular weight which is much too high for
biodegradation."

They conclude "In summary it is clear that if plastic products are made with
an oxo-biodegradable masterbatch and get into the open environment
intentionally or by accident, the molecular-weight of the plastic will reduce
much more quickly and it will become a waxy substance which is no longer a
plastic. It will then have become a source of nutrition for naturally
occurring micro-organisms."

"The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) were asked to study this type of plastic
in December 2017.  They made a Call for Evidence, and advised after 10 months
that they were not convinced that it creates microplastics.  We agree with
them, and have seen no evidence that microplastics from this type of plastic
have ever been found in the environment."

US EPA

As previously announced by Symphony in March of this year, the US EPA has also
published a paper entitled "Accelerating Polymer Degradation using pro-oxidant
additives" in 2021, which says that it is possible to eliminate persistence of
plastics by adding a safe pro-oxidant to make a low-cost biodegradable
plastic.

Whilst this paper does not explicitly reference Symphony's d2w technology, the
Board consider it to be a safe pro-oxidant, consistent with that described in
the US EPA paper.

Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony, concluded "Following the Oxomar
(http://www.biodeg.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Final-report-OXOMAR-10032021.pdf)
and Queen Mary University
(https://www.biodeg.org/queen-mary-university-london-report/) studies, these
further third-party endorsements are important to our continued programme to
explain to governments and stakeholders the importance of this proven
technology, and why they should not be misled by misinformation.  As defined
by CEN/TR15351 and now confirmed by ANSI and Lambton, oxo-degradable and
oxo-biodegradable plastics are not the same."

 

Enquiries

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc  +44 (0) 20 8207 5900

Michael Laurier, CEO

Ian Bristow, CFO

www.symphonyenvironmental.com

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

www.symphonyenvironmental.com

 

SYMPHONY'S BUSINESS

Symphony has a diverse and growing customer-base and has established itself as
an international business with over 70 distributors around the world. Products
made with Symphony's plastic technologies are now available in nearly 100
countries and in many different product applications. Symphony itself is
accredited to ISO9001 and ISO14001.

Symphony is a founder-member of The BPA (www.biodeg.org) and actively
participates in the Committee work of the British Standards Institute (BSI),
the American Standards Organisation (ASTM), the European Standards
Organisation (CEN), and the International Standards Organisation (ISO).

Further information on the Group can be found at www.symphonyenvironmental.com
and twitter @SymphonyEnv   See also Symphony on Instagram. A Symphony App is
available for downloading to smartphones.

D2W TECHNOLOGY

Symphony has developed a biodegradable plastic technology which addresses the
problem of persistent microplastics, by turning ordinary plastic at the end of
its service-life into a waxy substance which is biodegradable. It is then no
longer a plastic and can be bioassimilated in the open environment in a
similar way to a leaf without leaving microplastics behind. The technology is
branded d2w® and appears as a droplet logo on many thousands of tonnes of
plastic packaging and other plastic products around the world, much of which
has been recycled. In some countries, oxo-biodegradable plastic is mandatory
for short-life plastic products.

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