ASSOCIATIONS
Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Federation launched / Focus on lobby work and public awareness
With the goal of lobbying for oxo-biodegradable products, a number of companies have come together and on 1 February 2016 set up the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Federation (OBPF, Oswestry, Shropshire / UK). The association will participate in developing standards, regulations and material guides while at the same time engaging in “positive community interaction” aimed at educating the public and raising awareness of oxo-biodegradable products.
Headed by chairman Gary Ogden, OBPF membership is open to all interested parties who support oxo-biodegradable technology. Its founding members are Add-X Biotech (Västra Frölunda / Sweden; www.add-xbiotech.com), Germany’s EKMDevelopments, epi (Vancouver, British Columbia / Canada; www.epi-global.com), Wells Plastics (Stone, Staffordshire / UK; http://wellsplastics.com) and Willow Ridge Plastics (Erlanger, Kentucky / USA; www.willowridgeplastics.com).
A day after OBPF was established, fellow oxo-biodegradable plastics producer Symphony Environmental Technologies (Borehamwood / UK; www.symphonyplastics.com) joined the federation. Symphony pointed out that it was a founding member of the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OPA, London / UK; www.biodeg.org), adding that it hopes the two associations will work together to make a “difference to the perception of oxo-biodegradable plastic technology in the plastics industry and among consumers and governments worldwide.” The Borehamwood-based company said there are no discussions at present on whether the two organisations will merge in the future.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics are polyolefin-based and biodegrade at the end of their lives. They have been scrutinised by a number of other industry associations – including European Plastic Converters (EuPC, Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsconverters.eu) and PlasticsEurope (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticseurope.org) – for allegedly contaminating the recycling stream or posing a threat to the environment due to their dissolution into micro-plastics (see Plasteurope.com of 10.01.2014 and of 26.11.2014).
Headed by chairman Gary Ogden, OBPF membership is open to all interested parties who support oxo-biodegradable technology. Its founding members are Add-X Biotech (Västra Frölunda / Sweden; www.add-xbiotech.com), Germany’s EKMDevelopments, epi (Vancouver, British Columbia / Canada; www.epi-global.com), Wells Plastics (Stone, Staffordshire / UK; http://wellsplastics.com) and Willow Ridge Plastics (Erlanger, Kentucky / USA; www.willowridgeplastics.com).
A day after OBPF was established, fellow oxo-biodegradable plastics producer Symphony Environmental Technologies (Borehamwood / UK; www.symphonyplastics.com) joined the federation. Symphony pointed out that it was a founding member of the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OPA, London / UK; www.biodeg.org), adding that it hopes the two associations will work together to make a “difference to the perception of oxo-biodegradable plastic technology in the plastics industry and among consumers and governments worldwide.” The Borehamwood-based company said there are no discussions at present on whether the two organisations will merge in the future.
Oxo-biodegradable plastics are polyolefin-based and biodegrade at the end of their lives. They have been scrutinised by a number of other industry associations – including European Plastic Converters (EuPC, Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsconverters.eu) and PlasticsEurope (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticseurope.org) – for allegedly contaminating the recycling stream or posing a threat to the environment due to their dissolution into micro-plastics (see Plasteurope.com of 10.01.2014 and of 26.11.2014).
11.02.2016 Plasteurope.com [233298-0]
Published on 11.02.2016