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Biograde, the Australian biodegradable packaging manufacturer, has won a contract to supply bags to the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Biograde bags meet European compostability EN13432 requirements as well as Chinese packaging regulations that came into force on 1 June.

China has prohibited the production, sale and use of "ultra-thin" bags less than 0.025mm thick, but shops will still be able to sell thicker 'reusable' bags.

The contract with the Beijing Games' organising committee is worth US$1.2m (£616,000) and Biograde will produce seven different bag formats at its plant in Nanjing.

Biograde chairman Pat Volpe said the Games provided the company with "rapid growth opportunities".

The Beijing Advanced Material Development Centre, which is looking to use the games as a case study to promote sustainable packaging use in China, carried out the selection process.