Grupo Bimbo - d2w biodegradable packaging program

22 August 2019

SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC

("Symphony" or the "Group")

GRUPO BIMBO - PRESENTS PROGRESS OF ITS d2w BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING PROGRAM

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), a global specialist in products and technologies that "make plastic smarter", is very pleased to announce that at a major event in Mexico City on 20th August 2019, Daniel Servitje, President and CEO of Grupo Bimbo, announced the progress of its successful d2w biodegradable packaging program with technology partner and supplier Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc. The d2w biodegradable packaging program was first launched in Mexico City in 2008 as part of a structured program to improve waste management and control the life of packaging. This has resulted in 100% of Grupo Bimbo's Mexican packaging suitable for this technology being made biodegradable and recyclable. The event showed for the first time new packaging with Symphony's d2w brand.

This program has been enhanced by the reduction of plastics due to packaging gauge decrease, together with an estimated 97% recycling achievement in Mexican plants. Grupo Bimbo also announced the launch of its first compostable packaging, which can be disposed of together with organic waste. Grupo Bimbo's global objective is that by 2025 all their packaging will be recyclable or biodegradable or compostable.

Grupo Bimbo is the largest baking company in the world and a major producer of snack foods. It has sales of $US 15.1 billion across 32 countries and 3.2 million points of sale. Grupo Bimbo has a strong commitment to the communities in which it has a presence, as well as to environmental care, which today is grouped into 4 main axes: reduction of carbon footprint, reduction of water footprint, integral waste management, and natural capital.

Grupo Bimbo are not obliged by legislation to use biodegradable packaging, but as an environmentally-responsible company they decided that it was the right thing to do, being aware of worldwide concerns about the environment. Grupo Bimbo's packaging is part of a program that will reduce the impact of plastic pollution in the environment without causing any reduction in recycling or product safety.

Daniel Servitje, President and CEO of Grupo Bimbo said "This journey began in 2008 when, with the help of Symphony, a strategic partner in the innovation of packaging, we became the first Mexican company to incorporate d2w technology in our packaging. A year later, in 2009, we were pioneers worldwide when we introduced this technology in metalized packaging. Today, 100% of our packaging in Mexico, that can be made with biodegradable technology, is already biodegradable and 100% recyclable. Our objective is that by 2025 all our packaging will be recyclable or biodegradable or compostable."

Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony, said "It has been a challenge and a privilege to work with Grupo Bimbo and to help them make sure that their packaging meets the highest technical and environmental standards. We have invested heavily in scientific and technical excellence to make this happen and are proud to partner with one of the world's most successful and responsible groups of companies.

"Both Symphony and Grupo Bimbo are committed to a circular economy, but packaging which escapes into the open environment cannot be collected for recycling, composting or anything else. However, if it is made with d2w technology it will become biodegradable and be recycled back into nature by naturally-occurring micro-organisms."

The event took place at the JW Marriott, Polanco in Mexico City, and speakers were:

·    Claudia Sheinbaum; Mayor of Mexico City

·    Mario Molina; co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

·    Anne-Marie Delort; University Blaise Pascal France

·    Dolores Barrientos; Mexico´s Representative in UN Environment Program

·    Daniel Servitje; President and CEO of Grupo Bimbo.

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

Symphony Environmental Technologies plc

https://www.symphonyenvironmental.com

Symphony has developed and continues to develop, controlled-life plastic technology which helps tackle the problem of microplastics by turning ordinary plastic at the end of its service-life into biodegradable materials. It is then no longer a plastic and can be bioassimilated in the open environment in a similar way to a leaf. The technology is branded d2w® and appears as a droplet logo on many thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging and other plastic products around the world. In some countries, most recently Saudi Arabia, oxo-biodegradable plastic is mandatory. 

In addition, Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and master-batches marketed under its d2p® ("designed to protect") brand, which can be incorporated in a wide variety of plastic and non-plastic products so as to give them protection against many different types of bacteria, fungi, algae, moulds, and insects, and against fire. d2p products also include odour, moisture and ethylene adsorbers as well as other types of food-preserving technologies. Symphony has also launched d2p anti-microbial household gloves and toothbrushes (most recently in Bahrain), and is developing a range of other d2p finished products for retail sale.

Symphony has also developed the d2Detector®, a portable device which analyses plastics and detects counterfeit products.  This is useful to government officials tasked with enforcing legislation, and Symphony's d2t tagging and tracer technology is available for further security.

Symphony has a diverse and growing customer-base and has established itself as an international business with 74 distributors around the world. Products made with Symphony's plastic technologies are now available in nearly 100 countries and in many different product applications. Symphony itself is accredited to ISO9001 and ISO14001.

Symphony is a member of The OPA (www.biodeg.org) and actively participates in the Committee work of the British Standards Institute (BSI), the American Standards Organisation (ASTM), the European Standards Organisation (CEN), and the International Standards Organisation (ISO).

Further information on the Symphony Group can be found at www.symphonyenvironmental.com and twitter @SymphonyEnv  See also Symphony on Instagram. A Symphony App is available for downloading to smartphones.