TALKING TRASH…The Simple Truth About Plastics
In recent years we have seen the demonization of plastic bags provided to their customers by grocery stores and other retailers. Some countries have levied a tax on the use of these bags while others have banned their use outright. The movement against these bags has been so strident it’s as if the elimination of plastic bags would solve all of the earth’s pollution problems. This line of thinking is naive to the extreme.
Walk down any aisle of any grocery store anywhere in the world and you will be surrounded by plastic products that improve the quality of our life – shampoo and laundry detergent bottles, bread bags, cookie and candy packaging, milk jugs, mustard, vinegar, spices and other condiment containers, produce bags, meat, fish and cheese packaging, paper towel and bathroom tissue packaging, and on and on and on. What about all these plastic products? Don’t they also represent potential plastic pollution?
Or have we conveniently ignored all these other plastic products that we find so useful every day?
The reality is that plastic products are deeply embedded in our everyday lives and there is no viable substitute on the horizon. As a result plastic products will continue to be an integral part of our lives for the foreseeable future. But plastic bags represent just a very small part of a much larger concern.
When plastic products have served their useful purpose, like most items that are considered to be “garbage” they end up in landfill sites mixed with other garbage. Much of this garbage is contained in traditional plastic garbage bags which may take hundreds of years to break down, entrapping their contents and preventing them from breaking down as well, and clogging our limited landfill space as a result. In reality these garbage bags represent a much bigger problem than plastic carrier bags. Fortunately there is a solution.
EPI Environmental Technologies Inc. (EPI) manufactures plastic additives that help solve the problem of plastic waste. EPI pioneered the commercial application of a scientific process called oxo-biodegradation that quickly and inexpensively breaks down plastics, including plastic carrier bags and garbage bags. Most recently garbage bags made with EPI’s Totally Degradable Plastic Additives (TDPA™) were selected by the Vancouver Olympic Committee to be used at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics specifically because they are environmentally responsible.
So in reality there is no need to tax, ban or demonize carrier bags, garbage bags or any other plastic bag. EPI’s Totally Degradable Plastic Additives provide the solution to plastic waste. EPI’s TDPA™ technology is recognized worldwide as the most effective way to make commodity plastic waste degradable and biodegradable. As an indication of the acceptance of EPI’s TDPA technology, Joseph Gho, EPI’s Chairman and CEO, was recently invited by Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to China as part of the city’s Green Trade Mission.
EPI customers in over sixty countries worldwide are served by corporate offices in United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as well as an international network of agents, licensees and distributors.
Do you have comments on the above article? Tell us what you think. We welcome your feedback!
How can we get in-touch with your company? We are into plastic food packaging business and we are keen on developing degradable PS plastic food packaging. Please send me your contact person and numbers. Thanks.
What would you say to someone who claims your technology will not degrade in a landfill.
Or that it harms animals once degraded or ground water?
I use your technology and do not know how to answer this.
Thanks
Jack
Hi, i'm Yoffy from Indonesia. I'm very impressed by the technology of EPI and since i'm very concern about this plastic bags and evironmental issues, i'm very curious…is there by any chance that this technology (and maybe it would be more pleased the agent company) can be open here in Indonesia? If there's possibilities i really looking forward to be a part of the company…because i don't have any money capitals to become the agent itself…
Well that's all that i would like to comment and ask you guys…good luck and may this technology could bring a better environment for all country around the world.
Best regards,
Yoffy
Can your plastic bags be recycled with other bags or do you just throw them in your garbage can where they will break down in the landfill?
When the plastic breaks down, is it contaminating water or soil? Does it break down quickly enough to drastically decrease chance of harm to animals when plastic makes its way into their habitats?
Just out of interest, you mention that your additive is the save all end all to plastic waste problems, you mention that plastic bags go to landfill and seem to infer that your additive will solve this problem. I am then to understand that when your additive is used the products will then biodegrade underground with the absence of heat, light and oxygen, is this correct. Has sufficient testing such as ASTM D5511 been performed to prove this. Can one actually claim biodegradability of a product produced using your additive, or would the term OXO-FRAGMENTABLE be a more accurate way of defining it. As you may be aware the FTC is concerned that manufacturers are claiming biodegradability for products which we all know will be in landfill, such as plastic bags and packaging materials (real world) and that in order to advertise as biodegradable test for these conditions must be performed, such as ASTM D5511 for aneorobic degradation comparison to a control. I am interested in your product for an above ground application which may work a bit better than current supplier, please fill me in a bit here. Paul
I have read the above and yet the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada does not recognize any plastic bags inculding your mail plastic envelope as eligable for their Green Bin recycling programme. What can be done about this.
Ed Ralph
I think this is awesome! If only they could make ALL plastic products totally degradable. Have you started working on this idea?
I pulled an old plastic bag out of my cupboard to use last week and then noticed it had holes in it & it was practically disintegrating in front of my eyes. I saw your logo & website on the bottom & here I am. I just wanted to mention how very impressed I am & so thankful that you have such a wonderful product. Now its time to spread the word & get everyone using them.
Good luck,
Camille