CGTN Global focuses on Symphony's d2p technology

10 March 2020

SYMPHONY ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES PLC

("Symphony", the "Company" or the "Group")

CGTN Global focuses on Symphony's d2p technology

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM: SYM), a global specialist in masterbatch and additive technologies that enhance the properties of plastic and complementary non-plastic products by making them biodegradable, or lethal to bacteria, fungi, algae, moulds, insects, fouling and fire, is pleased to advise that following the announcement on 26 March 2020 of FDA approval in the USA for Symphony's d₂p (designed to protect) bread packaging, Symphony hosted CGTN reporter Richard Bestic at its laboratory at Borehamwood to explain its d₂p technology.

CGTN is China's world TV service, broadcasting from Beijing, London, Washington and Nairobi to a global audience of 200 million viewers across 133 countries. A clip from the broadcast can be viewed at https://youtu.be/ab2U8RCYtoQ 

Coronavirus COVID-19 has focused the minds of governments and businesses worldwide as they seek to minimise risks to public health.  The Daily Telegraph published the article "Doorknobs and bells are likely spots for harbouring germs" on 7 March which stated that "Coughs and sneezes undoubtedly spread diseases, but … surface contamination has been found to be more significant than first thought, with some infectious agents surviving in hospitals for 46 months." The article said that, according to the Greifswald University Hospital in Germany viruses could survive on plastics for up to nine days at room temperature.

Prof. Gunter Kampf from the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at the Greifswald University Hospital is reported as saying that "infections are often passed on in hospitals by touching call buttons, which are often made of metal or plastic.  Outside of hospitals communal objects such as door knobs, telephones, worktops, keyboards, doorbells, and even chip and pin devices could be sources of infection, with low temperature and high air-humidity further increasing their lifespan."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2020/03/06/deadly-doorknob-science-coronavirus-contamination/

It is clear that all plastic items which people touch, should where possible be made with anti-microbial additives such as the d₂p technology developed by Symphony.  These additives can be made lethal to bacteria and fungi for the lifetime of the product. Symphony has initiated tests by an independent laboratory to determine whether they are also effective against viruses, and tests will be run on the COVID-19 virus as soon as a specimen becomes available.  However, it should be noted that until such tests have been completed and verified, there can be no guarantee that Symphony's d₂p technology will be an effective barrier to the COVID-19 virus.

Symphony's anti-fungal and anti-bacterial additives are already added to toothbrushes, overalls, facemasks and gloves, and Symphony has NSF approval for water pipes.  For more information on the d2p range of products, see www.d2p.net

 Enquiries