TIDMSYM
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
.
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
Zeus (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker)
David Foreman / Kieran Russell (Investment Tel: +44 (0) 161
Banking) 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
Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and
master-batches marketed under its d(2) p(R) ("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
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(R) 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/
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(R), 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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