In the UK around 30 million tonnes of domestic refuse is produced each year. This contains on average about 38% organic content, such as vegetable peelings, tea bags and food scraps. Polycomp is fully compostable in as little as 10-days.

1. Lion’s Lair – EcoPack Show 2010
James Woollard and Marcel Seal

2. An unnecessary waste
According to reports, the UK dumps more household waste into landfill than any
other EU state – including food waste that is fully degradable.
 In the UK around 30 million tonnes of domestic refuse is produced each year.
Source: WasteOnline - managed by Waste Watch, a UK environmental charity working to
change the way people use the world's natural resources.
 Containing on average about 38% organic content, such as vegetable peelings, tea
bags and food scraps.
Resulting in some 11.5 million tonnes of waste
going into landfill, that could be composted.

3. Changing attitudes
As a nation our polythene consumption has risen to extremely high levels over the last
few decades.
 Shoppers in Britain are estimated to use up to 20 billion plastic carrier bags a year.
 Only 1 in every 200 bags is recycled and each takes about 100 years to degrade.
The public is now being actively encouraged to think about the environment. Shoppers
are actively discouraged from unnecessary use of carrier bags.
 You now have to ask for bags at checkout.
 Charges for bags now apply in many shops.

4. The way forward
Years ahead of the UK, Benelux countries have already implemented composting
operations as an alternative to landfill disposal.
 Aerobic and Anaerobic – compost processing plants
 Organic waste collections from houses or generic venues such as supermarkets
 Waste food and garden waste banks.
These countries don’t enjoy the luxury of weekly refuse collections.
 Due to the timescales involved between collections, householders have to deal
with organic waste themselves.
The use of fully compostable carrier and bin bags ensures that the vast majority of
organic household waste is recycled.

5. Current options
 In the UK there are an increasing amount of bags claiming to be compostable,
which are in fact oxy-degradable – a process that takes 2-3 years, but only if
conditions are perfect.
 Recycled polythene is a good option, assuming that the bags end up at a recycling
centre – only 1 in 200 do, the rest still go to landfill.
 The majority of bags are produced in the Far East – travelling thousands of miles
to reach the UK.
 All of these bags use oil-based polymers, a resource that is becoming scarcer and
more expensive by the day.

6. We have the answer…

7. The genuine article
100% fully compostable starch bags
Polycomp is fully compostable in as little as 10-days.
Polycomp is made using Mater-Bi™ bio-polymers.
Polycomp degrades leaving only CO2, H2O and natural residue – compost.
Polycomp has been certified as being fully biodegradable and compostable
according to the European norm EN13432
 Compost made from other materials
that claim to be compostable, but
DO NOT carrying this accreditation
will not be fit for reuse.
 Polycomp is made in France, by Europe’s leading manufacturer of
compostable bags.

8. How it works
Instead of creating
a visible litter trail,
once discarded
Polycomp bags
simply return to
nature.

9. See for yourself…

11. Plans for the future
As part of the UK’s changing attitude, UK councils have been tasked by the
Government to supply each household with a 7 Litre food caddy and roll of free
compostable bags.
 We are already negotiating with the councils to supply them on a not-for-profit
basis, with the initial one off roll that will go to every household in the UK.
 We need a retail partner to work with us as the point of distribution for
replacement bags.
 Although the bags are available, the public’s awareness of them is incredibly low.
 We would print the initial bags with our retail partners details so that the public
know where they can purchase replacements.
 In Oxfordshire a new composting facility has been built that can create 20K
tonnes of compost a year.

12. Key Facts
 How many councils are there in the UK?
– 439
 How many are yet to supply the roll of free bags?
– At least 50%
 How many tenders are we currently quoting for?
– 2
 How many bags do we predict will be used in the future?
– Presume 50% take-up across the country = 26 billion bags
 Do they have a limited shelf life?
– 1 year
 What is our production capacity?
– Enough for the UK

13. Thank you for your time