Bangalore, April 9, 2008: Avesthagen, a leading knowledge-based Life Sciences company from India and its joint venture partner Limagrain have launched  eco-friendly and biodegradable plastic for the Indian market.

 

This biodegradable plastic is manufactured using a process unique, from whole cereal grains, mainly wheat, maize and a number of specific Limagrain varieties. The products innovation lies in the combination of cereal fractions with a biodegradable polymer. Unlike the usual non-degradable plastic material, this alternate plastic introduced by Avesthagen and Limagrain, breaks down and becomes compost in a matter of 120 days in industrial composting conditions under the norm EN13432.

 

This innovative biodegradable plastic is India’s first product aimed to curb white pollution and the hazards of environmental pollution. Alternate biodegradable materials are the need of the hour, to curb the unimaginable pollution caused by way of plastic bags and other plastic films which stay in our ecology for hundreds of years strangulating cattle and destroying ecology.

 

With an annual usage of over 150 million tons of non-degradable plastic, the twentieth century may well be called the "Plastic Age". Further, as most non-degradable plastic used is from non-renewable resources such as petroleum, our increased consumption of plastic increases our reliance on imported oil as well.

 

Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell, Founder, Chairperson & Managing Director, Avesthagen Limited said, “We are extremely glad that our partnership with Limagrain has resulted in the introduction of this alternative plastic material. This is our way of contributing back to the environment we live in.  As research and innovation is core to Avesthagen, we would not stop here, but continue our work to introduce more environment friendly products.”