REG - Symphony Environment - US Environmental Protection Agency positive report

Symphony Environmental TechnologiesAnnouncement

13/03/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 5879G  Symphony Environmental Tech. PLC  13 March 2024

13 March 2024

 

Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

("Symphony" or the "Company")

 

US Environmental Protection Agency

Positive report on Biodegradable Plastics (using pro-oxidants)

 

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), the global specialist that
makes plastic products smarter, safer and more sustainable, wishes to
highlight the important 2021 report from the US Environmental Protection
Agency ("EPA") confirming that pro-oxidant masterbatches "could significantly
reduce the persistence of plastic pollution without creating undesired
by-products."  See
https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_Report.cfm?dirEntryId=353810&Lab=CESER
(the "EPA Report")

 

Unlike other government reports that can be more akin to literature reviews,
such as the EU reports, the EPA reported on their own scientific evaluation by
"Accelerating Polymer Degradation using Pro-oxidants." The EPA Report notes:
"Single use plastics that are commonly used for packaging and service-ware,
such as bottles, bags, straws, and wrappers result in land and marine
pollution as they break down into microplastics. Blending plastics with
pro-oxidants could be a promising solution, as they accelerate photo-oxidation
to obtain degradable materials whose final ecological and physical footprint
are much smaller."

 

"In this study, two pro-oxidants, iron stearate (FeSt3) and cobalt stearate
(CoSt2), were melt-blended with polypropylene at concentrations of 1 and 2
weight percentage. Plates of neat and pro-oxidant filled polypropylene were
kept in an accelerated weathering chamber that simulates damaging effects of
long-term outdoor exposure. Samples were taken out from the test chamber and
their properties were measured at selected time intervals as they undergo
photochemical degradation."

 

"Uv-Vis (ultraviolet visible) and GC (gas chromatography)-mass spectroscopic
analysis of wash-water samples indicated water soluble degradation products
are potently biodegradable and can be assimilated by microorganisms. The study
offers a successful approach where a benign filler could significantly reduce
the persistence of plastic pollution without creating undesired by-products."

 

The EPA Report correlates with nearly 4 decades of scientific studies, which
include the four-year Oxomar study in France, and the study at Queen Mary
University London which found that products made with d2w were able to
biodegrade up to 90 times faster than ordinary plastics.

 

Unlike the type of plastic marketed as compostable, it does not need special
conditions, and will degrade and biodegrade anywhere on the planet in the
presence of oxygen and bacteria. See
 https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/why-biodegradable/
(https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/why-biodegradable/)

 

Michael Laurier CEO said: "this important study from the world's largest
market, confirms that our d2w technology is at the forefront of the
sustainable plastics revolution and adds to a growing realisation that this
technology, is a key solution that is available now to prevent plastic in the
open environment from accumulating there for decades. Furthermore, it is
resonating with several of our current prospective d2w customers in the
Americas which we hope will accelerate d2w sales over the medium term."

 

Enquiries

 Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc                                     +44 (0) 20 8207 5900
 Michael Laurier, CEO

 Ian Bristow, CFO

 www.symphonyenvironmental.com (http://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/)
 Zeus (Nominated Adviser and Broker)                                         +44 (0) 203 829 5000
 David Foreman / Kieran Russell / Alex Campbell-Harris (Investment Banking)

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

www.symphonyenvironmental.com (http://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/)

 

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.

d2w technology was studied for four years in the Oxomar project, sponsored by
the French government, which concluded that plastic made with Symphony's d2w
oxo-biodegradable technology will biodegrade in seawater significantly more
efficiently than conventional plastic. See
www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/agriculture-and-horticulture/the-marine-environment/
(http://www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/agriculture-and-horticulture/the-marine-environment/)
 

Following this report, the scientists allowed bacteria commonly found in the
open environment access to d2w oxo-biodegradable plastic containing Carbon
13.  They found Carbon 13 in the carbon dioxide exhaled by the bacteria,
proving beyond doubt that the plastic had been bioassimilated by the bacteria.

D2P TECHNOLOGY

Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and master-batches
marketed under its d2p® ("designed to protect") trademark, which can be
incorporated in a wide variety of plastic and non-plastic products so as to
provide protection against many different types of bacteria, viruses, fungi,
algae, moulds, and insects, and against fire. See www.d2p.net
(http://www.d2p.net) d2p products also include odour, moisture and ethylene
adsorbers as well as other types of food-preserving technologies. For an
overview see www.d2p.net (http://www.d2p.net)    Symphony has launched d2p
anti-microbial household gloves and toothbrushes and "Symfresh" food-packaging
and is developing a range of other d2p finished-products for retail sale.

D2C TECHNOLOGY

Symphony has complemented its d2w and d2p product ranges with d2c "compostable
resins and products" that have been tested to US and EU composting standards
and has invested in Eranova - a French company extracting starch for making
plastics out of algae.

D2DETECTOR

Symphony has also developed the d2Detector®, a portable device which analyses
plastics and detects counterfeit products.  This is useful for government
officials tasked with enforcing legislation, and Symphony's d2t tagging and
tracer technology is available for further security.

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.

 

 

 

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