Symphony Env. Regulatory News (SYM)

SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC

("Symphony" or "the Company") 

Pakistan - Sindh Province to enforce use of oxo-biodegradable plastic legislation

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), a global specialist in products and technologies that "make plastic smarter", welcomes news reported in Pakistan that the Supreme Court of the Sindh Province has ordered the government to enforce The Sindh Environmental Protection Act (the "Act") and that the police had been directed to take action against those who violate it.

The Act, which was passed in 2014, provides that no person shall import, manufacture, stockpile, trade, supply, distribute or sell any scheduled plastic product which is non-degradable. The scheduled plastic products must be oxo-biodegradable and the pro-degradant used must be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Sindh is an important province of Pakistan with circa 47.9 million people, and includes Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.

Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony said:

"This is another important step-forward for Symphony's d2w oxo-biodegradable plastic technology, which is a pro-degradant approved for use in Sindh Province. Oxo-biodegradable technology must now be used for all types of flexible plastic packaging and disposable plastic products made of polythene and polypropylene and used for food and non-food items. The provincial roll out and enforcement of legislation in Pakistan requiring the use of oxo-biodegradable plastic products has been slow and we are delighted that Sindh Province is now taking this more robust approach."

Symphony's d2w technology addresses the problem of plastic pollution, including microplastics, by transforming ordinary plastic at the end of its service-life into biodegradable materials. It is then no longer a plastic and can be bioassimilated in the open environment in the same way as a leaf. The technology is branded d2w® and appears as a droplet logo.

The decision in Sindh adds to the increasing global momentum to use d2w oxo-biodegradable treated plastics to eliminate plastic that escapes into the environment. The decision to use oxo-biodegradable technology in Sindh was made to reduce environmental pollution and to minimise health risks to humans and animals associated with the use of non-degradable polythene bags and other plastic products.

Oxo-biodegradable plastic is also mandatory in Saudi Arabia (one of the world's largest producers of plastic), the UAE, and other countries. In Pakistan, legislation making it mandatory has also been passed in Islamabad (population c.2.0 million); Azad Jammu & Kashmir (population c.4.0 million), and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (population c.30.5 million), in addition to Sindh Province (population c.47.9 million).

To view a BBC World Service short film introducing d2w oxo-biodegradable (controlled-life) plastic technology please click on the following links:

From within the UK- http://www.symphonyenvironmental.com/d2w/d2w-brochure-5/ 

From outside of the UK - http://www.bbc.com/storyworks/the-british-bid/symphony

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

In addition to d2w, Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and master-batches marketed under its d2p® brand, which can be incorporated in a wide variety of plastic and non-plastic products so as to give them protection against many different types of bacteria, fungi, algae, moulds, and insects, and against fire. d2p products also include odour, moisture and ethylene adsorbers as well as other types of food preserving technologies. The Company has also launched d2p anti-microbial household gloves and are developing a range of other d2p retail finished products.

Symphony has also developed the d2Detector®, a portable device which analyses plastics and detects counterfeit products. This is useful to government officials tasked with enforcing legislation. Symphony's d2t tagging and tracer technology is also available for further security.

Symphony has a diverse and growing customer-base and has established itself as an international business with 74 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 Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association (www.biodeg.org) (OPA), the Society for the Chemical Industry (UK), and the Pacific Basin Environmental Council. Symphony 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 Symphony Group can be found at www.symphonyenvironmental.com and twitter @SymphonyEnv