9 August 2022
SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC
("Symphony" or the "Group")
MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ISSUES TECHNICAL STANDARD VALIDATING SYMPHONY'S d2w BIODEGRADABLE TECHNOLOGY
Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), the global specialist in biodegradable and anti-microbial technologies which make plastics and rubber smarter, safer and sustainable, is pleased to report that the Mexican Ministry for the Economy (Secretaría de Economía) has published a new Mexican Technical Standard in the Federal Gazette (Diario Oficial de la Federación) (the "Technical Standard") with positive commercial implications for Symphony's d2w biodegradable technology (the "Technology") in Mexico and the Latin America region.
This Technical Standard is similar to ASTM D6954 (a US standard for exposing and testing plastics that degrade in the environment by a combination of oxidation and biodegradation) and acknowledges and validates the technology including Symphony's d2w masterbatch for the accelerated biodegradation of plastic if it gets into the open environment as litter. Mexico now joins other countries with a similar standard in Latin America including Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and The Dominican Republic, as well as the UK, France and Sweden in Europe. Also, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, where compliance with their similar standards are compulsory for a wide range of plastic products made in or imported into, those countries.
The Technical Standard will come into effect on 29 October 2022 and marks another positive regulatory outcome in Latin America for Symphony's d2w biodegradable technology and further vindicates Symphony's long-term investment in advocacy in Mexico and Latin America, where it continues its transparent and technically-led engagement with customers and legislators.
Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony, said: "Mexico is a key market for Symphony, and we are pleased to see that the Mexican Government has issued the correct standard for testing and certifying our d2w biodegradable technology. We are confident that this new Technical Standard will provide plastic packaging converters and end users with additional reassurance, as they will be using a technology that is fully compliant with the Mexican Standard for biodegradation in the open environment.
We also believe that this new Mexican Standard will help create further momentum for d2w's commercial growth in Mexico and in Latin America and shows official acceptance of d2w technology, which turns ordinary plastics into biodegradable materials."
Enquiries
Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc |
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Michael Laurier, CEO |
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8207 5900 |
Ian Bristow, CFO |
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Zeus (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) |
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David Foreman / Kieran Russell / Guy Brinkley (Investment Banking) |
Tel: +44 (0) 161 831 1512 |
Dominic King / Victoria Ayton (Corporate Broking) |
Tel: +44 (0) 203 829 5000 |
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Hybridan LLP (Joint Broker) Claire Louise Noyce
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Tel: +44 (0) 203 764 2341 |
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc
Symphony has developed and continues to develop, a biodegradable plastic technology which helps tackle the problem of plastic pollution 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 a similar way to a leaf. The technology is branded d2w® and appears as a droplet logo on many thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging and other plastic products around the world, much of which has been recycled before it degraded. In some countries in the Middle East the use of this type of biodegradable plastic technology is mandatory.
Symphony has also developed a range of additives, concentrates and masterbatches marketed under its d2p® ("designed to protect") trademark. These are synergistic with d2p and 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, viruses, 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. The Group has also launched d2p anti-microbial gloves, facemasks, and toothbrushes and is developing a range of other d2p finished products for retail sale.
The Group 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 product applications. Symphony itself is accredited to ISO9001 and ISO14001.
Symphony is a member of the BPA (www.biodeg.org) 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 Group can be found at www.symphonyenvironmental.com and Twitter @SymphonyEnv. See also Symphony on Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin and TikTok. A free Symphony App is available for downloading to smartphones.