Environment

More needs to be done to convince politicians that "there's nothing wrong with plastics", according to additive producer Symphony Environmental Technologies.

Symphony has recently received significant investment from Australia-based Hunter Hall, which it aims to use to develop its R&D and expansion plans.

Deputy chairman Michael Stephen said that recent proposals, such as a ban on plastic carrier bags in London, underlined the importance of helping politicians understand the benefits of biodegradeable plastic packaging.

"The answer to tackling the problem of bags lying around in the environment after they've finished their useful life is to make them biodegradable," he added.

Symphony produces oxy-biodegradable additives – recognisable by the d2w droplet logo on a product – which the company said would make plastic degrade completely on a pre-set timescale of as little as six months.

Hunter Hall has agreed to a £700,000 private placement of 14m shares, and has acquired a further 5m on the market.

Stephen said that as well as raising awareness, the money would be used to expand its international network – it currently has a presence in 50 countries – and increase its testing programme for different materials in different climatic conditions.

He said there was "a whole range of products" that would benefit from being degradable, and the company was studying how these could be developed and brought to market.

For more information on Symphony, visit www.degradable.net.