Life without polythene

15 August 2011 04:06 am Views - 8752

Getting closer to nature
Plastic Pakaging gets OK COMPOST certification for NaturPlus bags sans polythene

Though celluloid is the key and most crucial word in the reel world, in real life Polythene and plastic are the most menacing substances that ruins the environment. The entire world is concerned about this serious factor and are coming up with novel methods to arrest the situation.

Plastic Pakaging Pte Ltd (PPPL) the only company that manufactures oxo-biodegradable bags and 100% compostable bags in Sri Lanka has now received the OK COMPOST certification from  AIB-VINÇOTTE International   for their Naturplus 100% Compostable Bags (This bag has no Polythene ) .

Plastic Pakaging Pte Ltd  Chairman Mervyn Dias said waste treatment was a continuously growing problem all over the world . Polythene pollution has become a worldwide concern with scientists and researchers desperately trying to find alternatives over the past few years.  PPP based in Ratmalana first introduced the Oxo-biodegradable bags in 2003 and started exporting these to the uk market . Thereafter PPP experimented to manufacture a bag without polythene and finally this bag is now available.  “Usually Compostable non polythene bags cannot be manufactured in thin thicknesses but with the managers trying various techniques we have been successful in manufacturing thin bags. This would make the bag very competitive,” he said.

Using compostable materials is one way to help solving this major problem. However, there is one big stumbling block: just how do we guarantee that such products can be composted? According to Mr Dias Vinçotte has already offered a solution in this respect by certifying the products as OK COMPOST . This certification guarantee that the product is 100% compostable and comply with the European standard EN13432 . This logo  have to be printed in the ok compost certified products to show that the bags are compostable, he said.

Mr Dias says that composting can reduce the volume of organic waste quite significantly, while the compost produced can be used for agricultural and horticultural purposes. About 50% of all domestic waste comprises organic material, a percentage that is set to grow in the future owing to the growing popularity of biodegradable products . All OK compost certified products are therefore completely in step with the requirements of the European standard EN 13432.

EN13432 & OK compost Logo
Packaging or products featuring the OK compost label are guaranteed as biodegradable in an industrial composting plant. The sole reference point for the certification programme is the harmonised EN 13432: 2000 standard: in any event any product featuring the OK compost logo complies with the requirements of the EU Packaging Directive  ( 94/62/EEC).

The EN 13432 standard specifies that packaging may be regarded as compostable if all of its constituents may be considered as such within the meaning of the EN 13432 standard, compostability is chiefly checked in the light of  biodegradation: fragmentation: heavy metals , ecotoxicity .

The OK Compost logo may be featured only when the product in question has been formally certified .

Why are Biodegradable & Compostable Bags so Important?
Approximatly more than 230 million tons of garbage is generated annually worldwide & this has created a huge problem of disposals as many of these are not compostable , biodegradable.

Garbage contains non biodegradable plastics such as plastic bags , pet bottles , drinking cans , glass bottles etc.
These non biodegradable items included in garbage cannot be sent for land filling as these would pollute the environment . For example plastic bags will take more than 500 years to degrade .

This option of 100% Compostable & biodegradable bags - bag without polythene gives the opportunity for consumers to choose a biodegradable solution. Therefore 100% Compostable products plays an important role .

What is The Standard EN13432 for composting?
There are currently few international organizations which have established standards and testing methods for compostability, namely for Europe

European Standardization Committee (CEN) EN13432
The EN 13432 industrial standard is arguably the most international in scope and compliance with this standard is required to claim that a product is compostable in the European marketplace. In summary, it requires biodegradation of 90% of the materials in a commercial composting unit within 90 days.

What Are The Advantages Of Nature Plus Compostable Bags?

NaturePlus is Certified(ok compost) 100% compostable & carries the compostable logo.compostable films can be produced in thicknesses from 10 to 120 microns. 

When NaturePlus bag is used the weight of organic waste is reduced by up to 35% in about 7 days keeping the waste without odours and much more hygienic.

• NaturePLus bag has all the good qualities of a usual non degradable plastic bag.
• Bags Can be printed as other bags.
• Bags can be used several times.
• Bags can be used to carry frozen food & in rainy days .
• Bags can be used as shopping bags.
• Bags can be used to collect waste in the kitchen & compost it

For further information     Mervyn Dias 0777 396679 or e-mail ppp@eureka.lk