For Immediate Release – October  26, 2011

Contact:  Steve Alexander, 202.683.0743

APR Comments on California Degradable Additive Suit

The Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR) applauds recent measures in California to curb the use of degradable additives in otherwise recyclable plastic bottles.  "APR has lead the effort to force these marketers of degradable additives to validate their marketing claims that the use of the additives do not impact the recycling of PET bottles.  This includes the second use of material into products like bottles, strapping, or carpeting,” says APR Director Steve Alexander.  “We have worked to educate the California Attorney General’s office on these troubling and unsubstantiated claims and have asked for their help in curbing the threat to the practice and reputation of plastic bottle recycling.”

APR Technical Director Dave Cornell explains, "Since mid-2009 APR has repeatedly asked those who sell and who use degradable additives to consider the sustainability implications of degradable additives that lower the functionality of recycled post consumer plastics.   We have asked for the data that support the claims of bottles containing the additives being recyclable and have seen none.  APR publishes at its website, www.plasticsrecycling.org a 23 page testing protocol for PET bottles which would contain the additives.  The testing protocol includes the effects of the additives on the long-lived uses of recycled PET.  The adverse consequence due to the presence of the additives could be premature product failure for strapping and geo-textiles resulting in damage and potential injury.  Since degradable additives vary in chemistry and bottles with the additives are not readily identified in the process, entire categories of plastic bottles that may contain the additives become suspect, harming the potential for recycling.”  APR is developing a test protocol for polyethylene and polypropylene with degradable additives.

APR consistently distinguishes between durable plastics which contain degradable additives and plastics that are bio-sourced.  Some bio-sourcing produces plastics identical to traditional resins, such as bio-PET and bio-polyethylene, which can be recycled without difficulty with traditionally-sourced resins.  Other bio-sourced plastics are new resins, such as PLA, which should be recycled only as itself.

Click here to view a PDF of this press release.

Click the links below for further information:

USA Today   Eco-friendly plastic bottles stoke recycling fight

Mercury News  California attorney general goes after questionable 'biodegradable plastic' bottles