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The environmental magazine’s tests reveal materials don’t completely break down in home compost piles.
PRWeb, Press Release, EarthTimes, April 13, 2010
Topeka, Kan. (Vocus) - With more companies marketing plant-based bioplastic packaging as “100-percent biodegradable,” Mother Earth News, the leading magazine dedicated to green living, put these claims to the test.
The result? In most cases, the magazine’s lab tests found that “biodegradable” or “compostable” plastics do not decompose in home compost piles. The report also concludes that some companies’ labeling claims are incomplete and misleading.
“While we applaud companies’ efforts to develop more sustainable packaging materials, they need to be upfront about what their products will and won’t do,” says Cheryl Long, editor in chief of Mother Earth News.
Mother Earth News commissioned Woods End Laboratories, an independent facility that specializes in evaluating composts, soils and organic wastes, to test five types of bioplastic shopping bags.
Researchers followed industry standards (ASTM D6400) and monitored the bags for 25 weeks in three scenarios: The team found that none of the bags were completely compostable in typical home composting conditions. Only one of the samples, Mater-Bi made by Novamont, was about halfway degraded after 25 weeks, while BioTuf and Bag-To-Nature brands did well only at the higher temperatures found in commercial composting conditions. Oxo-Biodegradable, which had two samples in the study, didn’t break down at all in any of the scenarios.
The complete report and photos can be found online as well as featured in the June-July issue of Mother Earth News, on sale May 25.
About Mother Earth News
Mother Earth News (www.MotherEarthNews.com) is the Original Guide to Living Wisely. Launched in 1970, each bimonthly issue of Mother Earth News features practical and money-saving information on organic gardening; do-it-yourself projects; cutting energy costs; using renewable energy; green home building and remodeling; rural living; and conscientious, self-sufficient lifestyles.
About Ogden Publications
Ogden Publications Inc. (www.OgdenPubs.com) is the leading information resource serving the sustainable living, rural lifestyle, farm memorabilia and classic motorcycle communities. Key brands include Mother Earth News, Natural Home, Utne Reader, Capper’s and Grit. Ogden Publications also provides insurance and financial services through its Capper’s Insurance Service division.
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Source : PRWeb
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mother Earth News Finds Compostable Packaging Claims Half-Baked
Biodegradable/bioabsorbable Interference Screws
Kunststoffe-international.com, April 13, 2010
Researchers have developed a new material based on PLA and hydroxylapatite for production of interference screws. The screws degrade biologically without leaving any holes in bones.
A torn ligament in the knee frequently requires an operation to restore stability to the joint. In the course of this operation, the physician replaces the ligament with a piece of tendon from the leg and secures it to the bone with a so-called interference screw. Until now, such screws have been fabricated from titanium - with the drawback that a second operation is required to remove it. Sometimes, biodegradable screws made from polylactic acid (PLA) are used. However holes occasionally remain in the bone after the screw has degraded.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute Manufacturing Technology and Applied Materials Research (IFAM) in Bremen have now developed interference screws that promote growth of bone in the implant and, depending on the formulation, degrade themselves within 24 months. The compressive strength of the material exceeds 130 N/mm². For comparison, real bone has a compressive strength between 130 and 180 N/mm².
The screws consist of an injection moldable formulation of PLA and hydroxylapatite. This mineral accounts for approximately 40% of the material in bone. In the medical field, it is used as a bone replacement or bioactive coating on titanium implants to improve bone growth. The newly developed composite contains a high percentage of hydroxylapatite and can be processed with excellent results in pellet form by means of injection molding. Complex geometries can be produced without the need for post-molding finishing operations. Moreover, the injection molding process has a beneficial side effect. Normally, the powder injection molded part must be densified after molding at very high temperatures of up to 1400°C. In contrast, the new composite material can be processed at 140°C.
Contact
Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung
Wiener Straße 12
28359 Bremen
Tel.: +49 421 2246-0
Fax: +49 421 2246-300
www.ifam.fraunhofer.de
Author
Dr.-Ing. Harald Sambale
sambale@kunststoffe.de
China Green Material Technologies, Inc. Announces Record Full Year 2009 Results
Revenues Increase 21.8% to $13.4 Million and Operating Income Rises 19.9% to $5.3 Million
PRNewswire, April 13, 2010
HARBIN, China - China Green Material Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CAGM; "CAGM" or "the Company"), a Chinese leader in developing and manufacturing starch-based biodegradable containers, tableware and packaging materials, today announced its financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2009.
Full year revenues increased 21.8% to $13,407,287 for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared to $11,008,513 in 2008, primarily driven by the Company's successful efforts in marketing its biodegradable products. Gross profit was $6,354,433 in 2009 versus $5,327,929 a year ago, while gross margin came in at 47.4% in 2009 and 48.4% for the full year in 2008.
Operating expenses were $1,030,861 in 2009 as compared to $888,232 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, an increase of 16.1%, which reflected a credit in 2008 of $261,887 to reduce the level of allowance for doubtful accounts. Income from operations in 2009 rose 19.9% to $5,323,572 as compared to $4,439,697 in 2008, reflecting the strength of full year revenues.
The Company reported income before taxes of $4,894,136 in 2009 as compared to $4,385,907 in 2008, an 11.6% increase. Full year net income was $4,134,946 in 2009 versus $5,892,352 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. The decline is primarily due to a gain of $1,506,545 related to foreign currency translation in 2008. Net income excluding foreign currency translation was $4,155,326 in 2009 as compared to $4,385,807 in 2008, a decrease of 5.3%. The year-over-year decline is primarily due to the exemption from Chinese income tax in 2008. Basic and diluted net income per share was $0.22 for the year ended December 31, 2009 compared with $0.28 for the year ended December 31, 2008. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $7,321,276.
Mr. Su Zhonghao, CEO of CAGM, commented, "We are very pleased with the record results of 2009, which reflect increasing demand for our products as consumers continue to adopt environmentally-friendly, sustainable practices. Importantly, the increase of 22% in revenues is attributable to strong order flow from both new and existing customers. During the year, we took a number of important steps to position the Company for future growth. We expanded our distributor base by nearly 70% to 118 partners and increased our sales team to 38 members. Early in 2010, we made the strategic decision to significantly expand our production capacity to accommodate increasing volume and prepare for anticipated growth as we focus on developing new product categories, entering new markets and winning new customers."
Mr. Su Zhonhao continued. "Looking ahead, we believe the Company is ideally positioned to take advantage of favorable macro environmental policies and increasing awareness and demand for biodegradable products. We believe that we have an early mover advantage; proprietary technology that produces superior quality products; an experienced and cohesive team; a strong order pipeline; key operating and growth strategies designed to increase market share; and the financial flexibility to execute."
About China Green Material Technologies, Inc.
Website: http://www.21cgmt.com
China Green Material Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: CAGM) is a China-based manufacturer of starch-based biodegradable containers, tableware and packaging products. Headquartered in Harbin city of China, the Company currently has 153 employees. The Company has developed proprietary biodegradable food packaging materials technologies.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "optimistic," "intend," "will" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risks and factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these risks and other factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information, please contact:
American Capital Ventures
Howard Gostfrand
Tel: +1-305-918-7000
Email: info@amcapventures.com
Web: http://www.amcapventures.com
HC International, Inc.
Christine Greany
Tel: +1-858-523-1732
Email: christine.greany@hcinternational.net
Web: http://www.hcinternational.net
SOURCE China Green Material Technologies, Inc.
Biodegradable 3D glasses coming to theaters?
by Sharon Vaknin, Crave - CNET, April 12, 2010
Though some moviegoers' powerful identification with "Avatar" may have inspired them to ponder the planet and rethink their carbon footprint, they likely missed the irony: millions of nonbiodegradable, plastic 3D glasses were reportedly distributed for the movie.
Luckily, cinemas may be on their way to adopting a more sustainable technology. Cereplast, an L.A.-based maker of bioplastics, has partnered with Oculus3D to create what appear to be the first biodegradable 3D glasses. Unlike current 3D glasses that are made using petroleum-based plastic, these will be manufactured with plastic derived from plant materials.
Cereplast and Oculus3D say they'll be ready to distribute their glasses this summer, according to Greenwala, where we first spotted the news. With the rising cost of oil and a high interest in 3D movies, biodegradable 3D glasses could be just the right move for the movie industry.
RealD--the predominant developer of technology for 3D glasses, and one of four providers of 3D systems for showing "Avatar"--implemented a recycling program for its plastic glasses last fall. Moviegoers are given the option to toss their glasses into a bin after the movie or keep them for reuse.
Glasses that end up in the bin are taken to a sanitizing facility, repackaged, and returned to theaters for redistribution. Intact glasses can be washed up to 500 times, but any that are cracked, scratched, or damaged are likely sent to landfills. RealD told CNET it could not comment on its recycling program because the company is in a quiet period.
Inside Design: The Man Behind PoopBags
By PD&D Editorial Staff, Product Design & Development, April 12, 2010
Farewell to the plastic grocery bag, pet owners no longer have to take such a toll on landfills. Though it is a way to repurpose the many plastic bags compiled after multiple shopping excursions, typical petroleum-based plastic bags can take thousands of years to decompose.
Paul Cannella, the owner of Chicago-based PoopBags.com, created a solution.
Cannella’s PoopBags are 100 percent biodegradable dog waste bags that meet the ASTM D6400 specification — with all of the “earth friendly” products on the market D6400 actually allows a company to legally claim that the product is biodegradable.
Made from corn starch and other renewable resources, PoopBags are shelf stable products that will degrade, after use, at the same rate as the core of an apple.
In PD&D’s latest addition to the Inside Design series, Cannella discusses how you don’t always have to change your behavior to save the environment, sometimes you just the bags you were using.
PD&D: How was the PoopBag born?
Paul Cannella: I used to always run out of bags for my dog, May. I started grabbing extras when I could: my Mom would save them for me, I always asked for double-bagging, etc. I started looking for sources on the web and discovered just how bad plastic bags were for the environment.
In 2003, there were very few resources for biodegradable bags — and it remains true today. While many claim to be biodegradable, only a couple actually meet the ASTM D6400 specification, which allows you to legally claim your product is biodegradable.
PD&D: Where are the bags manufactured?
Cannella: We have two product lines: One is made in the U.S., and the other is made in Norway.
PD&D: Dog owners understand the volume of plastic grocery bags that are “recycled” every year. How much harm are they doing to the environment?
Cannella: Here are some facts:
* Plastics are the fourth highest generated waste in the U.S.
* Plastic grocery bags originate from petroleum, which is non-renewable.
* The bags don’t biodegrade, and they take thousands of years to break down.
I also caution you from using the word ‘recycle’ when using the old bags to pick up dog waste, you're really reusing them. Picking up is still very important to protect our waterways and environment, now adjust to using a 100 percent biodegradable dog waste bag and you'll be doing your part.
PD&D: How have you organized your business to run with as little of a carbon footprint as possible?
Cannella: Our boxes are made from 100 percent recycled materials and constructed using 100 percent wind power. We use as many recycled and natural products as we can for shipping and we try to leverage our reach to spread eco-friendly tips to the masses. We recycle all of our cardboard, paper, plastics (yes, we still drink beverages) and anything else we can. In general, everyone that works at PoopBags has a Green streak.
PD&D: If I order green bags over the internet, how do the emissions used to deliver the bags compare to my footprint if I continue to use plastic grocery bags?
Cannella: That’s an interesting question. We try to offer the bags in bulk to reduce the number of deliveries. In the end, there is no comparison. Those are plastic and they're just plain bad for the environment.
PD&D: How do you plan to orchestrate mass market PoopBag acceptance?
Cannella: We have a constant program of advertising, PR, social networking and relying on our number one asset, our customers and their praise for PoopBags. Word of mouth is the most powerful form of acceptance and we are grateful for a tremendously loyal customer base.
PD&D: What does the future hold for PoopBags?
Cannella: We have a very bright future and it’s very exciting. While we currently sell overseas in a limited capacity, we are preparing to open an office in the United Kingdom. That will be followed by reach to the entire European Union; and then we'll focus on the Pacific Rim. This is balanced with our continued growth here in the States. Along the way, we hope to continue to do some good by making donations to shelters, paying for pet adoptions and donating to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation.
PD&D: Given the current state of the environment, what keeps you up at night?
Cannella: I certainly get stressed, but I usually don’t have any issues sleeping at night. I try to do my best to lead a good life, be responsible and rest easy, knowing that my company provides a Green-N-Easy source for folks to make their own small impact on the world.
For more information on PoopBags, check out the www.poopbags.com.
Don't get left holding the wrong leaf bag
If you're a Twin Cities resident living anywhere except Minneapolis, you now must use biodegradable, compostable lawn bags. The once-ubiquitous black plastic bags have been banned for yard waste.
By JOHN EWOLDT, StarTribune.com, April 12, 2010
"Why haven't I heard of this change before?" asked a Hennepin County resident when she called Hennepin County Environmental Services about the switch to compostable bags. John Jaimez, the county's organics recycling specialist, said the change was mentioned frequently last year in newspaper, radio and TV stories as well as online. "I don't have a TV or computer or read the newspaper," she said.
For anyone else sitting on the sidelines, here's the deal. As of Jan. 1, most residents of the seven-county metro area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties) who bag their yard waste for pickup must use compostable paper or plastic-like bags made from organic material, often corn-based. Only Minneapolis residents are getting a pass on the new requirement -- until Jan. 1, 2013.
Metro procrastinators who bagged leaves after the last pickup in the fall will have to rebag the waste or find other options. Waste haulers are giving no slack to anyone putting out the black plastic bags. Most haulers, such as Allied Waste, are tagging the black bags with a neon-colored note which states that they will no longer be picked up, said Jessica Kliche, marketing coordinator at Allied.
Earlier-than-expected warm weather caught some retailers off guard. The compostable bags have been in short supply at some stores.
In a check of 10 retailers two weeks ago, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart in Bloomington were out of stock. Target, Menards, Home Depot, Costco and several smaller hardware stores had the paper or plastic-like bags in stock.
You might need help finding compostable bags if you're shopping for the first time. Many stores have the paper bags in one location and the plastic-like bags in another. Target, for example, has the traditional black lawn and leaf bags with all other plastic bags but the compostable ones in the seasonal department.
For a partial list of retailers selling the plastic-like bags, go to www.bpiworld.org/minnesota. More than 30 manufacturers make the translucent, compostable bags, said Steve Mojo, executive director of the Biodegradable Products Institute in New York City.
Finding the right bags
How can consumers know they're buying the correct ones?
The new bags are translucent, usually white, green or pink. But don't be misled by packaging or wording.
Several stores were selling bags labeled "100 percent degradable" or "60 percent recycled plastic" in green boxes labeled "Go Green" or "Good Sense." Open the box, however, and the bags contain black or opaque green plastic that is not compostable.
Plastic bags labeled as being biodegradable but not compostable break down into finer plastic particles, but the plastic does not disintegrate into organic matter. Look instead for wording on the box that says "compostable" or "Meets ASTM D6400 standards."
Drawbacks to new bags
Anyone accustomed to bags made of thick, black plastic with drawstrings or flap closures will find the new bags a little, well, basic.
None of the brands I checked had the drawstring or flap closure or even twist ties. At a size of 30 to 33 gallons, they're also smaller than traditional bags, which are usually 39 to 45 gallons.
Sturdiness is a factor, too. The paper versions offer consistent quality, but the plastic-like bags have varying strengths due to the thickness of the material. Some of the boxes weren't labeled for thickness, which is measured in mils (1 to 1.1 thickness is standard). The Bag to Nature brand at Target was the strongest in our tests.
The new bags have some drawbacks. They are designed to disintegrate more quickly, so filling them with damp material and leaving them in the rain isn't a good idea. Decomposition time will depend on condition and the brand.
Finding a good price
They cost more, too. The old plastic 39- to 45-gallon leaf bags cost 17 to 40 cents each. The 30-gallon Kraft paper bags cost as much as 80 cents each. Home Depot and Menards were cheaper at 38 cents each ($1.88 for five). The lowest price I found was at Costco for 32 cents each ($7.99 for 25).
Among the stores where I found compostable, plastic-like bags, each sold a different brand. Prices ranged from 60 to 83 cents per 33-gallon bag. Menards had the lowest price on its BioBag ($5.99 for 10), but Target's Bag to Nature bags were sturdier ($7.96 for 10). If you're bagging sticks and branches, go for sturdier, thicker bags or use two-ply paper.
Minneapolis gets extra time
Why is Minneapolis off the hook until 2013? The city is considering a program for residents to discard yard and food waste in carts. But it needs extra time to get the carts into place and find an organic recycler that is licensed to accept and handle the waste from 105,000 households, said city spokesman Casper Hill. Currently, there is no such recycler, he said.
Despite all the confusion, Denise Westman of Tonka Bay said she's glad to be helping the environment.
"I think it's a great idea, but I am wondering how the bags will do in the rain," she said.
As for her stash of black plastic bags, Westman plans to use them to haul compost or use them as garbage bags.
"One way or another, they'll still get used," she said.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.
City Begins Leaf Collection
Steven Goode, courant.com, April 12, 2010
The city has begun its spring curbside leaf collection service. The service, which will end April 23, requires biodegradable trash bags.
Residents are asked to place bags of leaves at the curb as they would their trash and recyclables for their weekly assigned waste collection day.
Leaves should be placed at the curb no earlier than 4 p.m. on the day before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on the day of collection.
Leaves may not be placed in trash containers and must be collected separately for recycling. Residents may drop off bagged leaves at the public works yard, 40 Jennings Road.
Bag bans gain momentum
EarthTalk, smdp.com, April 12, 2010
Dear EarthTalk, How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really better to use paper bags, which will just lead to more deforestation?
Peter Lindsey, New Canaan, Conn.
Plastic bags, first introduced in the 1950s as a convenient way to store food, have since developed into a global scourge, littering roadsides, clogging sewer drains and landfills and getting ingested by animals and marine life. And in recent years we've discovered how they are so prolific that they now comprise a significant portion of the plastic and other garbage that has collected in huge ocean gyres far from land.
A few countries around the world — Bangladesh, China, India, Australia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Israel, South Africa, Taiwan and Mumbai, among others — have taken stands against plastic bags through taxing their usage or banning them outright. The environmental think tank, Worldwatch Institute, reports that China's decision to ban free plastic bags in 2008 has cut demand by some 40 billion bags, reduced plastic bag usage there by 66 percent, and saved some 1.6 million tons of petroleum.
In March 2007, San Francisco became the first (and is still the only) major U.S. city to implement an across-the-board ban on plastic bags. Large supermarkets and pharmacies there had to ditch plastic shopping bags by early 2008 in favor of paper bags or those made from all-natural biodegradable cornstarch-based plastic. Environmentalists are particularly fond of the latter option for those who don't bring their own grocery bags, as these cornstarch bags offer the biodegradability of paper without the deforestation as well as the convenience of plastic without the damage to ecosystems. San Francisco officials had originally tried to work with retailers on reducing plastic bag use voluntarily. But after a few years of little or no cooperation, they decided to just institute the ban on anything but biodegradable bags. The result has been a 50 percent drop in plastic bag litter on the streets since the ban took effect.
Los Angeles followed suit and its city council voted in 2008 to ban plastic bags beginning in July 2010 — but the ban will only take effect if the state of California doesn't follow through on a statewide plan to impose a fee on shoppers who request plastic bags. City council members in L.A. hope the ban will spur consumers to carry their own reusable bags and thus reduce the amount of plastic washing into the city's storm drains and into the Pacific Ocean. Several other U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, have considered outright bans like San Francisco's, but each settled instead on plastic bag recycling programs in the face of pressure from the plastics industry and retail commercial interests.
While increased demand for paper bags in the wake of plastic bag bans could lead to more deforestation, most paper grocery bags in use today are made from recycled content, not virgin wood. Also, an added benefit of paper over petroleum-based plastic is its biodegradability.
Americans go through some 92 billion disposable plastic bags each year, and only five billion paper ones. If the nation banned plastic bags it is likely that paper varieties would only make up a small part of the difference, in light of the proliferation of reusable canvas shopping bags as well as the availability of biodegradable cornstarch plastic.
Want to get down to earth? Submit questions to earthtalk@emagazine.com.
Metabolix to ship first biodegradable plastic, Mirel
By Jackie Noblett, Mass High Tech, April 9, 2010
For nearly two decades, Oliver Peoples and the Cambridge-based company he founded, Metabolix Inc., have been working on ways to turn crops into biodegradable plastics.
The company, founded in 1992 and public since 2006, bore the brunt of the long, slow and expensive process of industrial biotechnology and clean-technology commercialization. But this month, Metabolix (Nasdaq: MBLX) finally will turn the corner so many of its peer companies have failed to do and begin shipping its first plastic, known as Mirel, from its commercial plant in Clinton, Iowa, to customers and book revenue.
Traversing the chasm between technology and production is supremely difficult in the cleantech field, and for Metabolix it has meant years of losses and the dependence on joint venture agreements with agricultural giants to finance much of its expansion. Executives say the transition to producer from developer is critical for the company to prove to investors and customers the technology is more than a science project.
“The commercialization of Mirel is a huge step for us, for it provides a huge point of credibility that other industrial biotechs are looking for,” said Metabolix President and Chief Executive Richard Eno. “We have now transitioned into an environment that creates a lot more opportunities for us to build on the foundation of Mirel and into other products we’re working on.”
Driving the interest is projections of a sizable market for the materials to be used in anything from plastic bags to yogurt cups. Sales of biodegradable and bio-based plastics could reach $1.7 billion to $2.4 billion by 2012, according to a report by investment bank Jefferies & Co.
Metabolix’s history is not drastically different from other biotechs in the ethanol, chemical and materials industries — using major advances in genetic engineering made in the 1970s and 1980s and combining it with chemistry and materials science. But what makes Metabolix unique is not that it is making biodegradable plastics, but trying to create a single polymer that can withstand heat and cold, can be injection-molded into pens and can be in contact with food.
“What we’re making is a new polymer that has never been made before,” Eno said. “When you’re putting a new material out there, there are various tests and other processes that take time.”
“I think the benefit is once you’re there, it’s an enduring thing,” he added.
That’s if you actually get to the end goal. Metabolix’s ability to go commercial arguably would not have been possible without a joint venture forged in 2006 with Decatur, Ill.-based Archer Daniels Midland Co., one of the world’s largest producers of corn-based ethanol.
ADM essentially fronted the cost of building Metabolix’s Clinton plant to the tune of well over $300 million as well as access to the corn sugar feedstock that is used to make Mirel. In return, Metabolix provides research and development as well as marketing and product development services to the venture.
Eno says the partnership enabled Metabolix to get over the hurdle of fronting the money for a plant, something the early-stage company could not do on its own.
Last year, the 100-employee company generated $1.6 million in revenue from grant funding and payments from ADM, posted a net loss of $38 million. Meanwhile, the company’s stock has surged since February, trading near $13 per share from a 52-week low of about $6.
Biodegradable plastic use on rise in Costa Rica
sify news, April 9, 2010
Uses of biodegradable plastic bags in Costa Rica has increased significantly in the last three years as a result of an intensified climate conservation campaign across the country and in Central America.
Consumers are now purchasing disposable and environment friendly plastic containers, bags and bottles. Such products are gaining ground in less than three years after the technology came in the market, said Silvia Vega, CEO of Milenio Tres, distributor of D2W technology used to convert plastics into degradable material.
Although biodegradable products make up less than 10 percent of all plastics on the market in the Central American country, the trend is towards continued rapid growth, she said.
The increased use of 'green' products in Costa Rica is part of a worldwide trend; among other Central American countries that have embraced oxo-biodegradable plastics are El Salvador and Guatemala.
According to Milenio Tres, close to 220 million tonnes of plastic is produced annually worldwide and approximately 20 million tonnes of plastic debris end up in rivers and oceans.
The company also estimates that 90 percent of the plastic made since 1930 remains somewhere on the planet as rubbish without decomposing, polluting earth, air and water.
International environmental watchdogs say nearly one million seabirds die annually from ingesting plastic, while turtles in oceans all over the world mistake floating plastic bags and sheets for jellyfish and choke to death.
In Costa Rica, roughly 4,500 tonnes of urban solid waste is produced every day. Of them, approximately 30 percent ends up in rivers and oceans.
Oxo-biodegradable plastic is anywhere from between five percent and 10 percent more expensive to manufacture, Vega said, but there are ways to bring that cost down.
'In reality, this cost is nothing compared to the environmental benefit of having waste that will decompose instead of accumulating on the planet for decades,' Vega said.
D2W technology is used in more than 90 countries and has been approved in accordance with international guidelines, including those of the US Food and Drug Administration.
Biodegradable bags ordinance takes effect
KTRK-TV, April 5, 2010
HOUSTON - Starting today, the city of Houston will require residents to switch to biodegradable bags or eventually pay a fine.
City residents will now have to put their yard trimmings in green friendly bags with the city's seal. The new bags will cost you about three times more than the old bags.
And under the new ordinance, residents can face a fine of up to $2,000 if they're not put in city-approved bags.
But officials say it will not fine anyone for the first few weeks.
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Biodegradable Lawn & Yard Waste Bags are available online from Carolina Green FoodService Supply.
City Requires Biodegradable Yard Waste Bags
Bags Cost 80 Cents Each
KETV.com, April 5, 2010
click here to watch news video
HOUSTON - People in Houston must use biodegradable bags to dispose of yard waste or face a hefty fine, KPRC-TV in Houston reported.
The city's new ordinance goes into effect Monday.
The City Council hopes the biodegradable bags will save the city about $1.5 million annually and preserve the environment and landfill space.
The city-approved bags are available at grocery and hardware stores around the city. They cost about 80 cents each.
Some residents are very upset about the added cost, as a regular trash bag can cost about 25 cents each.
"We have received dozens and dozens of e-mails and phone calls," Councilman Mike Sullivan said. "Not one of them has complimented the city for this program."
Residents who put their yard waste in any other type of bag will face a fine of up to $2,000.
There are alternatives for residents who do not want to use the bags.
"You can use a mulching mower and grasscycle," said Marina Joseph, with the city's solid waste department. "That is very good for the environment."
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Biodegradable Lawn & Yard Waste Bags are available online from Carolina Green FoodService Supply.
