UK buys compostable bags from Lankan firm

Ananda Kannangara

The Plastic Packaging exported their first consignment of 100,000 biodegradable and compostable bags to the United Kingdom on Tuesday.

These bags which are manufactured 100 per cent polythene free under an international renowned logo `the Natur Plus' will undergo biological decomposition in a compost site.

'When the bag breaks down it is not visually distinguishable and breaks down into carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass,' the company said.

Plastic Packaging (Pvt) Ltd, Chairman and Managing Director Mervyn Dias said these compostable bags are manufactured from nature-tec biodegradable resin, specially imported from a USA based industry in India, at the launch held on Tuesday.

He said series of experiments on the resin were carried out at his factory, at Ratmalana and it was revealed that these bags degrade within a short period of 180 days depending on the composting method.

"According to the buyer in the UK, these bags which are 17x17 in size and light weight are used by local environmental bodies, household and city cleaners to put garbage and waste."

He said unlike other normal polythene bags (Silisili bags), currently used by Sri Lankan households, no odour emanates from whatever contents that are in these bags, since moisture does not remain inside. "In addition to the UK market, we have received orders from Malta and also expects to send products to many other countries in future," Dias said.

Asked whether he had any plans to supply the product for local consumption, he said he expects orders from local buyers too. Dias also said that at present 45 workers are employed in his factory at Ratmalana and expects to expand it by recruiting more workers in the future.