The OPA, the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association, says it is delighted that the recent attempt to ban oxo-biodegradable plastics was not accepted by the Council of Member States.
However, the association welcomes the Parliament's request to the Commission to make a study of biodegradable plastics.
It states: "The OPA will participate fully in this study and we will adduce independent scientific evidence by experts in oxo-biodegradable technology from France, Sweden, Italy, the UK, Brazil, Canada and Australia who have all found that the plastics is converted into biodegradable materials and not into fragments of plastics, and that the residues are not toxic. Other independent scientific reports and practical experience will show that oxo-biodegradable plastic bags can be safely recycled into new plastic bags."
The statement continues: "When the credentials of oxo-biodegradable technology have been proved to the Commission, we would expect to see it adopted by the EU to deal with the problem of plastics waste which gets into the outdoor environment and cannot realistically be collected. At present they have no policy for this."
www.biodeg.org
