U.K.-based Wells Plastics obtains Emirates Quality certification for compliance of its oxo-biodegradable additives to new UAE standard for oxo-biodegradation of plastic bags, disposable plastic items

Liling Tan

Liling Tan

STAFFORDSHIRE, England , August 30, 2010 (press release) – Wells Plastics Ltd is pleased to announce that it has become the first company to obtain the prestigious "Emirates Quality Mark" certification for "Oxo-Biodegradable additives" from the Federal UAE Authority: ESMA (Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology).

The certification has been issued for Wells Plastics’ "Reverte" brand of Oxo-Biodegradable additive which is certified as complying to the newly introduced "UAE Standard: S 5009 “Standard & Specification for Oxo-biodegradation of Plastic bags and other disposable Plastic objects".

This certification has been jointly granted to "Wells Plastics" a United Kingdom based company, and it’s UAE distributor "Excel International FZC" based in Ras al Khaimah, after a stringent audit of the Wells Plastics plant by a team of ESMA's experts, and is a recognition of the effectiveness and superiority of "Reverte Oxo-biodegradable technology" as a solution for producing eco-friendly plastics.

Plastic Bags/Film made with "Reverte" degrade via a two-step process when discarded into the waste stream. The carbon-carbon bonds in the long chain polymer firstly undergo oxidative cleavage, leading to embrittlement due to lowering of molecular weight. This is necessary for the second stage of the process, i.e. biodegradation. These smaller molecules then biodegrade in the presence of microbes, ultimately converting to water,CO2 and biomass.

One of the most notable features of "Reverte" technology is that it offers controlled degradation due to a unique catalyst which triggers the degradation process only when the bag/film has been discarded after use and is exposed to sufficient sunlight. Therefore, all properties of the bag/film remain intact even if it is stored in hot warehouse conditions for numerous months prior to use.

"Reverte" Oxo-biodegradable technology was first introduced into The UAE and GCC countries about 18 months ago and is now rapidly becoming the preferred choice of many customers when they understand the advantages of the controlled degradation that “Reverte” offers.

Since only a small quantity of Reverte needs to be added into the production process, the cost of a bag/film does not increase significantly as compared to a non-degradable bag/film.

All grades of "Reverte" are certified food contact safe as per FDA and EC requirements and can therefore be used for food packaging applications such as bread bags, burger bags etc. Other applications are shopping bags, grocery bags, garbage bags, shrink films, stretch films, agricultural films, news paper/magazine bags, gloves, aprons and other types of disposable packaging.

Wells Plastics is a specialist additive masterbatch company based in the heart of the United Kingdom and has over twenty years of development and manufacturing expertise in the plastics marketplace with a global supply position. Reverte is now sold in more than 50 countries around the world.

The certificate award ceremony was held in Dubai on August 10th 2010. Speaking on the occasion John James, Export Manager of Wells Plastics said “we are delighted to be the first company to be certified in the UAE for oxo-biodegradable additives, and we are pleased that through the use of Reverte more and more companies are now able to make a difference towards the problem of dealing with plastic waste in the UAE environment”.

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