TIDMSYM
RNS Number : 3065G
Symphony Environmental Tech. PLC
05 November 2018
5 November 2018
SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC
("Symphony", the "Company" or "the Group")
The information communicated within this announcement is deemed
to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market
Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this
announcement, this information is considered to be in the public
domain
UK JUDGE FINDS THE CASE FOR SYMPHONY'S
OXO-BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS PROVEN
Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), a global
specialist in products and technologies to "make plastic smarter",
has today welcomed a report by the distinguished lawyer and former
deputy Judge of the High Court in England, Peter Susman QC, which
has declared the scientific case for oxo-biodegradable technology
to be "clear and compelling".
To bring clarity to the debate on biodegradable plastics,
Symphony commissioned Peter Susman QC, to conduct an independent
review of scientific evidence relating to the effectiveness of
oxo-biodegradable technologies.
The evidence considered by Mr. Susman included the January 2018
report of the EU Commission, the Loughborough Report for the UK
Government, and the 2016 Eunomia Report for the EU Commission. Mr.
Susman examined the processes of abiotic and biotic degradation of
plastics, and then looked specifically at degradation in air and
degradation in seawater.
He concluded, in a 14-page written opinion, that
oxo-biodegradable technology:
-- does facilitate the ultimate biodegradation of plastics in
air or seawater by bacteria, fungi or algae, within a reasonable
time, so as to cause the plastic to cease to exist as such, far
sooner than ordinary plastics, without causing any toxicity;
-- that "the benefit is obvious of reducing future contributions
to the scourge of plastic pollution of land and sea";
-- that oxo-biodegradable technology is compatible with composting and recycling; and
-- that "the criticism alleging that oxo-biodegradable plastic
technology would materially encourage littering [can only be
regarded] as fanciful and unrealistic."
Commenting on his findings, Peter Susman QC said:
"I have been asked to imagine that I have been appointed as the
sole member of an independent tribunal with jurisdiction to review,
on a balance of probabilities, and in the light of the available
scientific evidence, the effectiveness and utility of
Oxo-biodegradable plastic technology in facilitating the speedier
final degradation of certain plastics.
"It is no longer tenable to conclude that there is 'no firm
evidence either way' whether oxo-biodegradable plastic technology
is effective. I consider that recent research provides clear and
compelling evidence that oxo-biodegradable plastic is indeed
effective in facilitating very significantly speedier degradation
than is the case when that technology is not used."
Michael Laurier, Chief Executive of Symphony Environmental
said:
"We are delighted that Peter Susman QC has found the scientific
case for Symphony's d2w oxo-biodegradable technology to be
proven.
"This is a pivotal period for Symphony, with growing demand for
our products across the world.
"In addition to Mr Susman's reasoned Opinion, d2w
oxo-biodegradable technology is validated in terms of
degradability, biodegradability, and ecotoxicity by reference to
existing European and US Standards, and also conforms with the EU
Packaging Waste Directive. It is the only oxo-biodegradable product
to have been awarded an ABNT Eco-label."
ENDS
Enquiries
Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc
Michael Laurier, CEO Tel: +44 (0) 20 8207
5900
Ian Bristow, CFO
www.symphonyenvironmental.com
Cantor Fitzgerald Europe (Nominated Adviser
and Broker)
David Foreman, Richard Salmond, Michael Tel: +44 (0) 20 7894
Boot (Corporate Finance) 7000
Caspar Shand Kydd (Sales)
FTI Consulting (Financial PR)
Daniel Hamilton Tel: +44 (0) 20 3727
1794
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Peter Susman QC
Peter Susman QC has over 25 years' experience of adjudicating
cases in the Technology and Construction Court branch of the High
Court in England, involving the evaluation of expert evidence. He
has declared in his Opinion that he has not entered into any
arrangement where the amount or payment of a fee for his Opinion is
in any way dependent on its content or conclusions.
About Symphony Environmental Technologies plc
Symphony has developed and continues to develop, controlled-life
plastic technology which helps tackle the problem of microplastics
by turning 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(R) and appears as a droplet logo on
many thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging and other plastic
products around the world. In some countries, most recently Saudi
Arabia, oxo-biodegradable plastic is mandatory.
In addition, Symphony has developed a range of additives,
concentrates and master-batches marketed under its d2p(R) 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. We have also launched d2p anti-microbial household
gloves and are developing a range of other d2p finished products
for retail sale.
Symphony has also developed the d2Detector(R), a portable device
which analyses plastics and detects counterfeit products. This is
useful to government officials tasked with enforcing legislation,
and Symphony's d2t tagging and tracer technology is 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 is also a strategic partner of the Commonwealth Business
Initiative, and 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 See also
Symphony on Instagram. A Symphony App is available for downloading
to smartphones.
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END
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