The Singapore Environment Council has certified Herald Ecochem with its “Green Label” seal of approval for its development of environmentally friendly plastic whose average biodegradation process has been cut from centuries to just two to three years, company officials said Thursday.
As the first producer of such eco-friendly plastic in South Korea, Herald Ecochem’s “Eco Bio Plastic Films” have earned the SEC’s certification for its “Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic Products,” according to the officials.
The company is Herald Corp.’s affiliate manufacturing polyethylene-based sheet films.
The SEC’s Singapore Green Labeling Scheme aims to help the public identify eco-friendly products that meet certain standards as well as monitor the growing demand for greener products in the market. It hopes to encourage manufacturers to produce and design with the environment in mind.
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| The “Green Label” certification given to Herald Ecochem. (Herald Ecochem) |
Manufactured by adding a small portion of biodegradable additives into polyethylene plastic, the Eco Bio Film is able to biodegrade in a significantly shorter period of time.
Company officials said Ecochem’s plastic ― with its quality and cost similar to conventional plastic ― is able to naturally break down through air and microorganisms and completely biodegrade within two to three years. Scientists estimate that regular plastic takes around 500 years to wholly decompose.
The special plastic also includes special additives to preserve the film for consumers to safely use for six months to a year after being exposed to air and sunlight, they added.
In addition to certification by the SEC, Ecochem’s plastic materials have also been certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the European Union and Canada.
By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)
