EU's failure to provide update on measure that would allow member states to impose bans or taxes on single-use plastic bags has left market confused about status of legislation, says Cereplast

Allison Oesterle

SEYMOUR, Indiana , September 24, 2013 (press release) – EU Environmental Commission Considers Legislation to Tax or Ban the Use of Plastic Bags

Cereplast, Inc. (OTCQB: CERP), a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable bioplastics is providing an update on European legislation surrounding the use of disposable plastic bags that would allow member states to place bans or taxes on single-use plastic bags in an effort to protect the environment. Bans or taxes on single-use plastic bags would push the European Union (EU) market to use alternative materials, like bioplastic, in the manufacturing of shopping bags.

European Legislation Timetable to Date:

· April 2013: Italian government signed and published a decree inflicting sanctions on bags made from traditional plastic;

· May 2013: the United Kingdom (UK) government files an opposition with the EU, which claimed Italy was breaching EU internal market rules;

· June 2013: EU authority requested the Italian government to wait to enforce the legislation until September 13, 2013 in order to resolve the UK concerns;

· September 13, 2013: Date has passed without a formal answer from the EU. However, Janez Potocnik, EU Environmental Commissioner, has publically stated that he intends to propose a larger EU directive extending a solution to the entire European community, similar to the Italian legislation.

"The passing of the September 12, 2013 date without an update from the EU has left the EU market in a state of confusion in terms of what the status of the legislation is," Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast. "Unfortunately, when dealing with a governing body, delays are to be expected. Even still, we are confident that there will be resolution in the near-term."

According to an EU Environmental Commission report, governments need to impose taxes and benefits to change consumer behavior in order to protect and preserve the environment. Commissioner Potocnik supports a move that would mandate EU member states to minimize the single use of plastic products, specifically shopping bags, which have the ability to be used multiple times. The report also cites how in 2002, Ireland imposed a tax on plastic bags, resulting in a 90 percent reduction in plastic waste. Britain's deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, also made a formal statement saying a 5p charge for plastic bags in England will be introduced by the government in an effort to discourage their use.

Sheer added, "The potential market for bioplastic, if legislation expanded to the entire EU community, could reach 1 million tons a year or close to $4 billion in potential revenue to be divided between the small number of companies operating in this sector of which Cereplast is a major participant. We have already seen an increase in interest from companies located in France and Spain and we anticipate that a large portion of Europe will be subject to a pro-bioplastic directive in the coming years."

About Cereplast, Inc.

Cereplast, Inc. (OTCQB:CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary biobased, sustainable bioplastics which are used as substitutes for traditional plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with traditional plastics. On the cutting-edge of biobased plastic material development, Cereplast now offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables® resins are ideally suited for single-use applications where high biobased content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry. Cereplast Sustainables® resins combine high biobased content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging. Learn more at www.cereplast.com. You may also visit the Cereplast social networking pages at Facebook.com/Cereplast, Twitter.com/Cereplast and Youtube.com/Cereplastinc.

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