Wells Plastics Dismayed At Misinformation In Paper

Wells Plastics Dismayed At Misinformation In Paper

Wells Plastics is dismayed to see the recent attack on oxo-biodegradable technology, no doubt orchestrated by the Biopolymer industry, this time under the guise of the registered charity The Ellen MacArthur Foundation in their statement paper via The New Plastics Economy. Wells Plastics is particularly disappointed that such a prestigious organisation such as the EllenMacArthur Foundation, which is positioned as independent, has allowed itself to be associated with a statement paper which is inaccurate and appears biased. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a registered charity and accordingly states its key objectives as:

• 1. To promote sustainable development (means “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own generation needs”) for the benefit of the public by:
• a. The promotion, preservation, conservation, protection of the environment and the prudent use of resources; and
• b. The promotion of means of achieving sustainable economic growth and regeneration
• 2. To advance the education of the public in subjects relating to sustainable development and the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment and to promote study and research in such subjects provided that the useful results of such
study are disseminated to the public at large.

In our opinion there is no doubt that The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has fallen well short of its 2nd objective with the publication of such a poorly researched and frankly unnecessary statement paper. This statement paper flies directly in the face of the recent findings in the EC commissioned report by Eunomia into Oxo-biodegradable technology, in addition to significant third party independent test work that Wells Plastics has conducted on its own range of oxo-biodegradable materials, marketed under the tradename Reverte™. The final report regarding the impact of oxo-biodegradable plastics on the environment, compiled by Eunomia Research & Consulting for the European Commission was published in April 2017 in which it is stated:

“The debate around the biodegradability of oxo-biodegradable plastic is not finalised, but should move forward from the assertion that oxo-biodegradable plastics merely fragment”

The report recognises that oxo-biodegradable plastics biodegrade and the report tells the plastics industry to move on. It is further disappointing that a recommendation of this statement paper from The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a call for a ban on the use of oxo-biodegradable packaging. This recommendation was arrived at without any consultation or discussion with Wells Plastics a key player in the research, development and manufacture of oxobiodegradable materials marketed under the Reverte™ brand ( www.reverteplastics.com ). Unfortunately, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation also did not contact The Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Federation, OBPF ( www.obf.org ), which is an industry wide, global collaboration group to promote the appropriate use of oxo-biodegradable products through participation in the development of standards, regulations, material guides and positive community interaction. The OBPF has been founded by a group of leading manufacturers and technologists and is supported by scientific, economic and social research into the development of products, applications, and systems deriving from and using oxo-biodegradable products. It is intended to help educate and further public awareness of oxobiodegradable products as an available alternative to existing products and to promote the use of these products without any anti-competitive activities in relation to other relevant industry and academic associations. Wells Plastics has reached out to The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and look forward to the acceptance of a meeting and a positive outcome on this subject, in the meantime we recommend that this statement paper be immediately withdrawn whilst a more thoroughly researched paper is prepared.