EPI Environmental Products claims that the Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) has escalated a “smear campaign” against oxo-biodegradable plastic technology.
According to Canada-based EPI, which licenses proprietary technology containing additives that cause plastic to degrade, oxo-biodegradable plastic technology (OBP) is “substantiated by a robust foundation of peer-reviewed scientific research”.
However, in a strongly worded statement, EPI says that OBP continues to be “the target of a concerted and underhanded smear campaign led by the bioplastics industry”, and that the European parliament has been “misled into phasing out oxo-biodegradable plastics”.
EPI states that claims denouncing OBP technology are “uniformly unfounded and devoid of scientific merit”.
The Canadian company refutes key claims raised by ABA concerning oxo-biodegradable plastic technology, specifically that: (i) “Oxo-biodegradable additives contain heavy metals and are disruptive to human health and the environment”; and (ii) “OBPs fragment but do not biodegrade”.
“EPI categorically reaffirms that its additives contain neither heavy metals nor any environmentally toxic ingredients,” the company says, adding: “OBP is subjected to the same environmental safety standards (EN13432) and eco-toxicity tests used to regulate compostable plastics.”
OBPs have been used in agricultural mulch film for many years, EPI stresses, with “no incidence of bio-toxicity or reduced soil fertility”.
Refuting the second statement, EPI also says: “The degradation products of OBPs are completely transformed into a form that is assimilated by naturally occurring microorganisms.”
The company cites research published in 2011 (‘Polymer Degradation and Stability’: Jakubowicz, Yarahmadi, Arthurson) said to show “91% biodegradation in a soil environment within 24 month” for OBP products.
Stating that claims denouncing OBP technology are “advanced to support the vested interests of the bioplastics industry”, EPI adds that its own oxo-biodegradable plastic additive product TDPA conforms to BS8472 (UK), ASTM D6954 (USA) and AFNOR Accord T51-808 (France).
EPI president and CEO Joseph Gho calls for “clear reason to prevail, especially amongst legislators worldwide”.
Gho says: “We must not forget the environmental benefits of oxo-biodegradable plastic technology, especially since it offers an affordable and widely applicable strategy to minimise the environmental impact of plastic usage.”
www.epi-global.com
