December 13, 2019 – D&L Polymers & Colours, Inc. (DLPC) and First in Colours, Inc. (FIC), fully-owned subsidiaries of D&L Industries, are ready to provide business solutions to companies given the potential ban on single-use plastics.
D&L is the only company in the Philippines that manufactures biodegradable plastics and additives that are internationally certified. D&L has the capability to service the local plastic industry and even the export market should they decide to switch to more sustainable and biodegradable packaging materials.
“The potential ban on single-use plastics presents both challenges and opportunities to everyone in the industry. While this will likely put pressure on manufacturers of single-use plastics, there is a greater opportunity for us to increase our relevance to customers and provide innovative and higher value-added products. From a practical standpoint, however, it may not be possible to completely ban the use of single-use plastics instantly. This is true especially in medical, personal care, and other sectors where single-use plastics are necessary for sanitary and safety purposes. Plastic is a technological advancement that continues to play a crucial role in modern-day society. We believe that educating people to properly dispose, sort, and segregate, is the key to address the negative environmental impact of single-use plastics. At the same time, plastics must be reduced, reused, and recycled.” remarked DLPC & FIC Managing Director Lester Lao.
“The D&L group has a steadfast commitment to both R&D and product innovation to achieve sustainable growth. One of our advocacies is to promote “green chemistry”. As part of this, our team, for years, has been proactively doing R&D works in the environment-friendly and sustainable plastic materials space. To date, we have successfully developed two proprietary product lines, Biomate™ and Biorez™, which can provide solutions for companies to alleviate single-use plastic pollution in the country. These products make plastics biodegradable and are certified by international standards.”, Lester Lao added.
Biomate™ is an additive developed by FIC which can be added to plastics to make it biodegradable. With as little as 2% dosage of Biomate™, single-use plastics produced from polyolefins can achieve over 90% biodegradation within two years. Most importantly, Biomate™does not leave persistent microplastics unlike others. It is suitable for plastics used as primary packaging for perishable products such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Biorez™ is a compostable plastic developed by DLPC. It’s a ready- to-use compound that can be instantly molded into various single-use plastic applications such as films, straws, cutlery, cups, etc. Biorez™, given proper environmental conditions in a composting facility, can achieve 90% biodegradation within 6 months.
The end-product of this composting process is either high value fertilizer or biomass feedstock for electricity generation. It was recently reported that the Senate has earmarked funds for plastic recycling factories and composting facilities in the DENR budget for 2020 with provisions that mandate the construction of composting facilities in all towns. This makes using compostable plastics and subsequent recycling more feasible.
“We are optimistic on the potential of biodegradable plastics as the world shifts towards more sustainable and environment-friendly materials. Over the long-term, we continue to innovate by investing in R&D as part of our strategy to stay ahead of the curve. In addition to biodegradable plastics, there are several other product developments in the pipeline that provide runway for growth.”, D&L President & CEO Alvin Lao concluded.
International product certifications and compliance
3Q19 results showed emerging signs of recovery. For instance, total HMSP (High Margin Specialty Products) volume in 3Q19 was up 15% quarter-on-quarter, coming from a slump in 2Q19.
Biomate™ uses P-life® as its active ingredient. P-life® is the only product in the market that is certified biodegradable by SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, a renowned international research body leading in the field of polymeric waste material. Biomate™ also satisfies all the requirements of ASTM 6954, the American Standard for plastics biodegradability. In the Philippines, Biomate® is verified by the Environmental Technological Verification division of the Department of Science and Technology (ETV 08-013) and is fully compliant with PNS 2104 (Philippine National Standard for biodegradable plastics).
Biorez™ is recognized worldwide by the European Standard for biodegradable plastics. It has an international certification from DIN CERTCO, a Berlin-based organization that does conformity assessment based on various international standards. It is also verified by the Environmental Technological Verification division of the Department of Science and Technology (ETV 19-018) and is fully compliant with PNS 2102 (Philippine National Standard for compostable plastics).
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GLOSSARY
Biodegradable – Materials capable of being decomposed by microorganisms or other living organisms.
Biodegradable plastic – Plastics capable of being decomposed by micro-organisms or other living organisms under defined time and environmental conditions. This normally refers to plastics that have 90% degradation in soil within 24 months under high humidity conditions at temperature of 20°C to 30 °C.
Biodegradation – Process of materials undergoing degradation by microorganisms and other living organisms. In plastics terminology, this is numerically expressed and evaluated by the conversion of polymeric matter to carbon dioxide (CO2).
Compost – Soil conditioning materials made up of decomposing organic matter which can provide soil nutrients and structure.
Compostable plastics – Plastics that are compatible and biodegraded in composting process.
Composting – Human controlled biodegradation process of organic or biodegradable wastes to form valuable biomass or organic matter rich compost. This is done in either municipal/industrial level facility or home/garden setup.
Microplastics – Plastic particles with size of 5 mm or less. This can be produced intentionally or via degradation (biological, mechanical or chemical means).
Plastics or Polymers – Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating chemical units or monomer. The term polymer is usually used to refer to plastics. This can be made up of monomers sourced from petroleum, natural material or both. These materials can be molded to different forms such as films, durable items, etc.
Plastic additives – Substances added during the manufacturing of plastics to modify certain properties.
Plastic pollution – Aggregation of mismanaged plastic or polymeric waste materials which has brought ecological or environmental implications.
Polymeric waste – The output of plastic consumption, which is disposed of and forms waste streams.
Polyolefins – Polyolefin is a type of polymer produced from simple alkenes (kind of petroleum distillate) as its raw material. Common types are either High density polyethylene (HDPE), Low density polyethylene (HDPE), Low Linear density polyethylene (LLDPE), Polyethylene (PE) or Polypropylene (PP).
Primary packaging – Material which is directly in-contact of a product it contains. It can be composed of paper, carton, wood, plastics, etc.
Single-use plastics – Plastic products intended to be used only once before they are disposed, recycled or thrown-away. These are commonly used for disposable packaging and utility items such as carry-out bags, food packaging containers, food packaging bags or liners, drinking/water bottles, straws and stirrers, wrappers, Styrofoam® based products, cups, sachets, plastic cutlery, cosmetic bottles, paste tubes, sanitary diapers and napkins, etc.
D&L Industries is a Filipino company engaged in product customization and specialization for the food, chemicals, plastics, and aerosol industries. The company’s principal business activities include manufacturing of customized food ingredients, specialty raw materials for plastics, and oleochemicals for personal and home care use. Established in 1963, D&L has the largest market share in each of the industries it serves, as well as longstanding customer relationships with the Philippines’ leading consumer and chemical companies. It was listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange in December 2012. For more information, please visit www.dnl.com.ph.INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT
Crissa Bondad
Investor Relations Officer- D&L Industries, Inc.
+632 635 0680
crissabondad@dnl.com.ph / ir@dnl.com.ph