Apr 23 2008
Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary, bio-based, sustainable plastics, will turn Earth Day Indiana 2008 into a real-world exhibition showcasing the environmental benefits of bioplastics. Cereplast, a major event sponsor, will provide biodegradable and compostable food service ware, and coordinate all logistics to properly compost waste from the event. The demonstration will culminate with a study to calculate the amount of waste prevented from going to landfill and prove the environmental benefits of composting for municipalities.
Nat-Ur, the finished products division of Cereplast, will supply Earth Day Indiana with compostable cutlery, cups and bags, and Cereplast customer Genpak will provide bowls and plates from its Harvest Collection. In conjunction with Earth Day Indiana and the city of Indianapolis, Cereplast arranged for all compostable food service ware used at the event to be transported to Green Cycle’s composting site in Indiana. Separate bins for compostable products will be available at the event and monitored by Earth Day Indiana volunteers to ensure accurate sorting.
“As we recently opened a manufacturing facility in Seymour, Ind., we are thrilled to participate in this local event that so directly aligns with our company’s philosophies,” said Frederic Scheer, chairman and CEO of Cereplast. “This type of real-world demonstration brings greater attention to biodegradable and compostable plastics, as well as the viability of the bioplastic industry.”
In the annual event, thousands of Hoosiers head to downtown Indianapolis to attend one of the nation’s largest Earth Day festivals. The Earth Day Indiana Festival combines 100 environmental and conservation exhibits with live music from some of Indiana's best new bands, special activities for kids and good food. An estimated 20,000 people attended the 2007 Earth Day Indiana Festival.
The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the American Legion Mall in downtown Indianapolis at North Street between N. Meridian and N. Pennsylvania Streets.
Products used at Earth Day Indiana will be made from the Cereplast CompostablesTM product line. Cereplast Compostables products are renewable, ecologically sound substitutes for petroleum-based plastic that replace nearly 100 percent of the petroleum-based additives with bio-based materials. Making plastic from renewable resources allows Cereplast resins to be cost competitive with traditional plastics, especially as oil prices hover around $110 per barrel. Cereplast Compostables resins are fully biodegradable and compostable meeting BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) standards for compostability (ASTM 6400 D99 and ASTM 6868), and European Bioplastics standards (EN 13432).
All Cereplast resins are cost-competitive with their traditional plastics counterparts, making them an economic as well as an environmentally sustainable solution.
For more information on Earth Day Indiana, please visit www.earthdayindiana.org.