BPI Certification Provides Third-Party Validation that Mirel Meets
the ASTM D6400 Standard for Compostable Plastics
Metabolix, Inc. (NASDAQ: MBLX) announced that Mirel bioplastic resins
produced by Telles, its joint venture with Archer Daniels Midland
Company, have been certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products
Institute (BPI), an independent North American certifier of compostable
material. BPI certification shows that Mirel base resins comply with the
specifications established in the American Society for Testing and
Materials standard ASTM D6400 for composting in a professionally managed
composting facility.
“Mirel bioplastic resins are now certified by the Biodegradable Products
Institute to be compostable in industrial composting systems,” said
Steve Mojo, Executive Director of BPI. “Resin manufacturers are
encouraged to use the BPI’s compostable logo in their marketing efforts
to demonstrate their compliance to ASTM D6400 based on independent
testing.”
Last month Mirel resins received certifications from Belgium-based
Vinçotte of “OK Compost” for industrial composting and “OK Compost HOME”
for home composting.
“Materials certification is an important process for the bioplastic
industry to embrace,” said Bob Findlen, Vice President of Sales and
Marketing for Telles. “Product manufacturers, brand owners, and their
customers need to have confidence that the biodegradability and
compostability claims of materials suppliers are substantiated by
scientific data and third party validation.”
The BPI’s certification covers Mirel’s base resins. These will be
further compounded into specific grades for use in injection molding,
film, sheet, and thermoforming by manufacturers of products and
packaging.
Metabolix and Telles are presenting and exhibiting at NPE 2009, The
International Plastics Showcase, in Chicago, IL the week of June 22,
2009. They are located at booth #W119020, in the West Hall.
About Mirel Bioplastics
Mirel is a family of bioplastic materials with the physical properties
of petroleum-based resins, yet with a unique combination of being
biobased and biodegradable when disposed in natural soil and water
environments, home composting systems, and in industrial composting
facilities in areas where such facilities are available. The rate and
extent of Mirel’s biodegradability will depend on the size and shape of
the articles made from it. However, like nearly all bioplastics and
organic matter, Mirel will not biodegrade in conventional landfills.
Mirel bioplastics are available for injection molding, blown and cast
film, and cast sheet applications. The first commercial-scale plant to
produce Mirel bioplastic resins is being constructed adjacent to ADM's
wet corn mill in Clinton, Iowa. For more information please visit www.mirelplastics.com.
About Metabolix
Founded in 1992, Metabolix, Inc. is an innovation driven bioscience
company focused on providing sustainable solutions for the world’s needs
for plastics, chemicals and energy. The Company is taking a systems
approach, from gene to end product, integrating sophisticated
biotechnology with advanced industrial practice. Metabolix is now
developing and commercializing Mirel™, a family of high performance
bioplastics which are biobased and biodegradable alternatives to many
petroleum based plastics. Metabolix is also developing a proprietary
platform technology for co-producing plastics, chemicals and energy,
from crops such as switchgrass, oilseeds and sugarcane.
For more information, please visit www.metabolix.com.
(MBLX-G)
ICR
Media:
Matt Lindberg, 203-682-8214
matthew.lindberg@icrinc.com
or
Brian
Ruby, 203-682-8268
brian.ruby@icrinc.com
or
Investors:
Anthony
Gallo, 203-682-8335
anthony.gallo@icrinc.com
