Eastar Copolyester Film Certified by Environmental Institute

Published: November 20, 2002, By PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY, USA—Eastman Chemical Company reports the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) has granted its compostable logo to its Eastar Bio GP and Ultra copolyester. According to Eastman, this emblem ensures users and composters these products meet ASTM D6400-99, "Specification for Compostable Plastics" and are designed to biodegrade swiftly and completely when composted.

Says Julian Jensen, Eastman's global market manager for Eastar Bio, "This BPI certification, with its independent review, is another indication of the truly biodegradable nature of our material. The strict standards of this organization will help consumers identify products that will biodegrade in reasonable time frames and will not cause harm to the environment."

Designed to fully biodegrade to biomass, water, and carbond dioxide in a commerical composting environment in 180 days, Eastar Bio will become invisible to the naked eye in as little as twelve weeks, a time frame comparable to paper in the same environment.

Eastar Bio copolyesters also have received similar approvals from DIN CERTCO in Europe and the Biodegradable Plastics Institute in Japan. Currently, applications are being developed and marketed in food packaging, bags, and other packaging in Europe, North America, and Asia. Eastman adds the fims also are being developed for use as agricultural films that can be tilled directly back into the soil, where it will biodegrade without any residual effect on plants or soil.

Eastar Bio is available in two formulas; Eastar Bio GP copolyester is best suited for extrusion coating and cast film applications. Eastar Bio Ultra copolyester is designed for use in blown films. Both materials also are being used in fiber and nonwovens applications, adds Eastman. Visit Eastman Chemical at eastman.com.