SEYMOUR, Ind., June 4, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cereplast, Inc. (OTCQB:CERP) (the "Company"), a leading manufacturer of proprietary biobased, compostable and sustainable bioplastics, today is providing shareholders with an update on the Italian plastic bag legislation. The government of the United Kingdom ("UK") is using the European Union ("EU") legal system in an attempt to influence the Italian legislation that enforces sanctions on merchants that do not discontinue the use of traditional single-use plastic bags in favor of bioplastic and other alternatives. Cereplast anticipates that this move will simply delay the law from going into full effect until Summer/Fall 2013.
Cereplast Chairman and CEO Mr. Frederic Scheer commented, "When dealing with government bodies and new legislation there are often times hurdles that occur, particularly when there is lobbying pressure from the traditional plastics industry. I am not overly concerned about the timing of the outcome, and expect that this is a minor pause in the full impact of the law. Amidst this delay, we are manufacturing and seeking new market opportunities every day, as well as expanding our current customer base and attracting new customers who are adopting biodegradable alternatives such as ours. This legislation has survived multiple legal actions, and each time it has prevailed. The overall sentiment among the EU is supportive of this legislation as we are seeing other countries move towards outright plastic bag bans, in addition to the countries that have already imposed fines. In the meantime, we have utilized this time wisely by completing our required certifications, which are required by many large retailers that continue to transition to bioplastic alternatives in lieu of traditional plastic bags, despite the recent move by the UK. The Company will continue to pursue strategic target clients in anticipation of the sanctions becoming effective."
Mr. Scheer continued, "Additionally, in the United States, the plastics industry is lobbying heavily to prevent similar wide-spread laws from being passed, and yet year after year, there continues to be a movement toward the abolition of the single-use plastic bag. Today, cities such as San Francisco, Portland and Seattle have been successful despite the opposition, and this will likely continue to be the trend in the US for the next few years as people work toward state-wide legislation."
About Cereplast, Inc.
Cereplast, Inc. (OTCQB:CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary biobased, sustainable bioplastics which are used as substitutes for traditional plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with traditional plastics. On the cutting-edge of biobased plastic material development, Cereplast now offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables® resins are ideally suited for single-use applications where high biobased content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry. Cereplast Sustainables® resins combine high biobased content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging. Learn more at www.cereplast.com. You may also visit the Cereplast social networking pages at Facebook.com/Cereplast, Twitter.com/Cereplast and Youtube.com/Cereplastinc.
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