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March 06, 2006 01:00 AM

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    Methane not issue for oxo-biodegradables

    The Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Institute is the industry association for plastics that degrade by oxidation prior to biodegrading. Our members were interested in the Feb. 20 Mailbag from Irvin I. Rubin [``Push plastics use, awareness,'' Page 6]. Mr. Rubin makes some good points supporting the utility of plastic bags and their use in preference to other forms of packaging, particularly paper bags.

    We do not, however, understand his comment that ``biodegradable plastics also lose all their energy and help produce methane.'' If his point is that conventional bags will remain in landfills for energy recovery at a much later date, that may be possible but doesn't seem a reasonable basis for public policy.

    Ideally, used plastic bags would all be recycled into new products or incinerated for their energy value rather than being placed in landfills. The oxo-biodegradable products of our member companies are amenable to both types of recovery. However, at least in North America, the percentage of recovered plastic bags, even in the best-performing recycling programs, is in the single digits.

    As regards methane formation, biodegradable plastics are no different than any other organic material.

    Oxo-biodegradable technology does not preclude energy recovery or the ability to recycle or reuse, nor does it promote the formation of methane. Rather, it obviates the one negative property of conventional polyolefins - their persistence in the environment after disposal - while leaving open all of the opportunities to recover value from them after use.

    L.F. Doty

    OPI

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Making better bags will win the battle

    Regarding Irvin I. Rubin's Feb. 20 letter, the plastic bag is here to stay. It's a matter of product and consumer safety. Paper and cloth bags can never perform the way plastic can.

    We at Redi Bag recently launched a campaign directed at supermarkets throughout North America to use our products with EPI Environmental Technologies Inc.'s Totally Degradable Plastics Additive. Not only will they be offering their customers a less-frustrating produce bag, or an easy-to-use meat bag, but bags that benefit the consumer by reducing possible food contamination - bags that benefit the community by disintegrating sooner and taking up less space in municipal landfills.

    Bags with TDPA benefit the environment in many ways, most topically by reducing the amount of methane gas produced. The additive does not leave any toxins in the soil. It conserves the environment for future generations.

    It only makes sense to advocate the use of bags that will have a reduced impact on the environment, without disrupting consumer's behavioral patterns, while encouraging safe and healthy purchases.

    Bags made with oxo-biodegradable plastic additives, the newest technology available, are reasonably priced, comply with their full performance expectations and are environmentally sound. Innovation is the key to success.

    P.J. Coffey

    Redi Bag USA LLC

    New Hyde Park, N.Y.

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