The Singapore Environment Council has certified Herald Ecochem with its “Green Label” seal of approval for its development of environmentally friendly plastic that biodegrades in just a few years, company officials said Thursday.

Herald Ecochem’s “Eco Bio Plastic Films” have earned the SEC’s certification for “Oxo-Biodegradable Plastic Products,” according to the officials. 

The company, a Herald Corp. affiliate that manufactures polyethylene-based sheet films -- the first producer of such eco-friendly plastic in South Korea -- has become the first foreign winner of the certification in Singapore.   

Wells Plastics, a British firm known for its Reverte oxo-biodegradable technology, had provided technological and administrative support to Herald Ecochem and the assistance helped the Korean company win the certification, the officials said.

The SEC’s Singapore Green Labeling Scheme aims to help the public identify eco-friendly products that meet certain standards as well as monitor the growing demand for greener products in the market. It hopes to encourage manufacturers to produce and design with the environment in mind.

Manufactured by adding a small portion of biodegradable additives into polyethylene plastic, the Eco Bio Film biodegrades in a significantly shorter period of time.

Company officials said Ecochem’s plastic, which is similar to conventional plastic in terms of quality and cost, is able to naturally break down in two to three years through air and microorganisms. Scientists estimate that regular plastic takes around 500 years to wholly decompose.

The special plastic also includes special additives to preserve the film so that it can be used safely use for six months to a year after being exposed to air and sunlight, they added.

In addition to certification by the SEC, Ecochem’s plastic materials have also been certified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the European Union and Canada.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)