Symphony Environmental Technologies (AIM:SYM) has announced that its chief executive, Michael Laurier, has presented scientific evidence on plastics and microplastics to the Society of Plastics Engineers Microplastics Conference in Baltimore (on 21 October).
The AIM-listed specialist in additives that make plastic and rubber products smarter, safer and more sustainable told the conference that four decades of scientific development support practical industry solutions to plastic pollution in the open environment, rather than reliance on bans and restrictions.
The audience included researchers from universities specialising in microplastics, corporations including The Dow Chemical Company, plastics trade bodies and media, and the US Food and Drug Administration.
Laurier's presentation, titled "Do polyolefins biodegrade without leaving microplastics?", drew a distinction between biodegradation standards for controlled composting and the pollution that drives public concern and regulatory restrictions, which he said chiefly involves plastic escaping into the open environment rather than material collected for composting.
Symphony presented data on polyethylene and polypropylene products made with its d2w masterbatch, the additive technology designed to let these plastics biodegrade in the open environment without leaving microplastics or toxicity.
Weathering reduced the molecular weight of film by oxidation from 327,000 to 2,200 Daltons, meeting Tier 1 requirements under ASTM D6954, while the oxidised film went on to achieve biodegradation after 600 days in soil of 97.4% under ASTM D5988 and 98.7% under ISO 17556.
Read more about Symphony Environmental Technologies
- 05/10/26Symphony wins second Colombian regulatory nod for d2w technology
- 16/09/26Symphony Environmental returns to profit in H1
- 07/09/26Symphony's d2w plastic fully mineralises in soil study with no microplastics found
Plant-growth and earthworm testing under OECD 208 and OECD 207 found no toxicity and no metals above US Environmental Protection Agency limits, and soil analysis under ISO 24187 found no microplastics present.
"The plastics industry worldwide has an opportunity to unite around established science and practical solutions that address plastic pollution where it matters, in the open environment, while maintaining the essential role of plastics in the modern world," Laurier said.
Symphony said the presentation prompted positive engagement with its science-led approach and its call for industry collaboration.