REG - Symphony Environment - Yemen Enforces Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic Law

Symphony Environmental TechnologiesAnnouncement

26/09/2023 07:00

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RNS Number : 5945N  Symphony Environmental Tech. PLC  26 September 2023

26 September 2023

 

SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC

("Symphony" or the "Group")

 

Yemen Enforces Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic Law

 

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 that the Republic of Yemen has commenced
the enforcement of legislation that was passed in 2010 but delayed due to the
civil war.

 

We are advised by our local representatives that this announcement was made on
the 13(th) September by the Standards Authority, Ministry of Industry, Customs
Department, Ministry of Health and other Yemen authorities. Manufacturers were
informed by the Environment Authority that with immediate effect they will
only be allowed to produce oxo-biodegradable plastic bags only and their
operating license will not be renewed if they are found to be non-compliant.
The customs authorities will ensure that only oxo-biodegradable bags are
imported, and letters have been issued to commercial banks, shopping malls and
other commercial enterprises, warning them not to purchase or use
non-oxo-biodegradable plastic bags. A team of inspectors will be deployed to
ensure compliance by all the relevant parties, and they will be using
Symphony's d2detector in this effort.

 

The National TV channel recently broadcast the announcement, which was made by
Abdul Malik A Gazali, President of the Yemen Environmental Authority, at a
conference which was attended by 220 manufacturers, environmental and
standards authorities. A recording of the broadcast can be found at d2w update
in Yemen - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4AJR1WS6f0) .

 

In summary the legislation bans all non-biodegradable plastic bags and
requires the immediate use of oxo-biodegradable plastic in accordance with an
industry standard based on ASTM-6954, which has also been adopted by Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and the UAE.

 

The plastic market in Yemen is estimated at 4 million tons of polymers and
there are about 500 manufacturers.

 

Michael Laurier, CEO, Symphony, commented:

 

"This is a very positive step forward for our d2w biodegradable plastic
technology in one of the largest plastic producing and consuming areas in the
Middle East. It builds on a continual process of change throughout the region
towards plastic products that are scientifically proven to be better for the
environment than ordinary plastics or other alternative materials. Plastic
products made with d2w have the lowest Co2 emissions and environmental impact
of all the current alternatives and we believe that the adoption of our type
of low cost, non-disruptive technology will continue to build globally."

 

Yasser Nasser, Managing Director of Ahmed Plastic Factory (Symphony's
distributor in Yemen) commented:

 

"We welcomed this new and very positive development, and our local team are
working closely with government and the industry to support and implement this
important and large initiative. This will bring a much-need benefit to the
environment of our country, as plastic which escapes into the environment will
no longer create microplastics and lie or float around for decades.

 

Enquiries

 

 Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc
 Michael Laurier, CEO                                                   Tel: +44 (0) 20 8207 5900
 Ian Bristow, CFO
 www.symphonyenvironmental.com (http://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/)
 Zeus (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)
 David Foreman / Kieran Russell (Investment Banking)                    Tel: +44 (0) 161 831 1512
 Dominic King / Victoria Ayton (Corporate Broking)                      Tel: +44 (0) 203 829 5000

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

 

About Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

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

 

Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and master-batches
marketed under its d(2)p® ("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.  d(2)p 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 d(2)p anti-microbial household
gloves and toothbrushes and "Symfresh" food-packaging and is developing a
range of other d(2)p finished-products for retail sale.

 

Symphony has also 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 d(2)w® 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, most recently Saudi Arabia,
oxo-biodegradable plastic is mandatory for short-life plastic products.

 

d(2)w technology was studied for three years in the Oxomar project, sponsored
by the French government, which concluded that plastic made with Symphony's
d(2)w oxo-biodegradable technology will biodegrade in seawater significantly
more efficiently than conventional plastic. See
https://www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/agriculture-and-horticulture/the-marine-environment/
(https://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 d(2)w 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.

 

Symphony has complemented its d(2)w and d(2)p product ranges with d(2)c
"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.

 

Symphony has also developed the d(2)Detector®, a portable device which
analyses plastics and detects counterfeit products.  This is useful for
government officials tasked with enforcing legislation, and Symphony's d(2)t
tagging and tracer technology is available for further security.

 

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 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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