Symphony blasts EuPR oxo-degradable claims

EuPR issued a statement calling on industry to be careful not to destroy recent gains in plastics recycling by “using unsustainable technologies”.

The trade body said that oxo-degradable additives were giving an unclear message on how to reduce waste as they polluted recycling streams and there was no proof that greenhouse gases were saved by using the additives.

“They destroy the materials’ value, will not reduce littering and jeopardise the benefits of mechanical recycling,” EuPR said.

Symphony Environmental hit back at EuPR’s statement that showed a fundamental misunderstanding of the technology and urged the body to sit down with the industry to address its concerns.

Deputy chairman Michael Stephen told Packaging News: “If they have concerns about oxo-degradable additives they should work with people who understand it before publishing wild statements.”

Stephen recognised it was important to generate quality recyclate and questioned the fact the statement did not refer to compostable and crop-based plastics that could compromise an oil-based process.

He said that oxo-degradable plastics can be recycled and the goal was to ensure the material that was not collected did not disfigure the landscape.

“It will self-destruct in a much shorter time than non-degradable plastic if it gets into the open environment, and it is made from a by-product of oil refining that used to be wasted,” said Stephen.

Symphony said there was not a shred of evidence that any degradable plastic had encouraged littering.

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