May 24 2002
The UK government is planning to implement a 9p tax on all plastic shopping bags in an attemot to try and reduce litter and pollution from these items. News of the impending tax saw stock prices for Symphony, the UK’s only manufacturer of fully degradable plastic bags jump by 3.5p to 42p.
Symphony currently supply major retail chains such as Sainsbury and Asda have been lobbying the government for a reduced tax on their products.
Symphony’s biodegradable bags use a chemical additive which enables them to break down to just water. They are totally broken down in periods ranging from 30 days to 2 years depending on the environmental conditions they are exposed to. Furthermore, the Symphony product costs about the same to manufacture as normal plastic shopping bags!
For more information on packaging materials click here.