Minnesota Firm Launches Truly Biodegradable Shopping Bag To Replace Plastic - the Ecoplas 25

Sept. 8, 2009 - PRLog -- EXCELSIOR, Minnesota – In an exclusive agreement, GreenLine Marketing, a Minnesota company, is set to begin wide-scale distribution of a truly biodegradable and renewable shopping bag, the Ecoplas™ 25.   When placed in water, soil, landfill or compost the Ecoplas™ 25 bags are certified to decompose to a molecular size in one year or less, depending on microbial activity.  Traditional plastic shopping bags may take 1,000 years to degrade.  

According to David Arundel, President of GreenLine Marketing:  “These bags will allow US and Canadian retailers, the opportunity to replace their plastic or paper shopping bags in any size, color or with any printing needed. Further, Ecoplas™ 25 bags take less energy to produce than other bags. This isn’t just a good environmental idea, in many cities and states the replacement of plastic bags is now mandated by law. They are the most earth-friendly bags available today.”

Developed by Indonesian company Tirta Marta using a proprietary and patented process, the Ecoplas™ 25 bags combine plastic with a resin made from the starch of the tapioca root.  Tapioca is a renewable resource, and grows “like a weed in marginal conditions” reports Sugi Tandio, President of Tirta Marta.  Further, “Tirta Marta is committed to three guiding principals: sound environmental stewardship, being a world class “green” factory, and providing local farmers and factory workers the opportunity to earn a continual source of income for their families.”

The Ecoplas™ 25 bag:
•   Is manufactured in a very environmentally friendly process.
•   When placed in water, soil, landfill or compost is certified to biodegrade to a molecular size in one year or less depending on microbial activity.  
•   Remains indefinitely stable when stored prior to use.
•   Is non-toxic and safe for use with grocery products, even when a color pigment or printing ink is used.    
•   Passes industry standard strength, burst and jog tests.
•   Costs about the same as polyethylene (PE) plastic bags.
•   Is recyclable.  
•   Meets or exceeds the certifications now imposed on bag use by cities, including San Francisco’s rules, which are considered somewhat of a “national” standard.

GreenLine Marketing is a recently formed offshoot of Redline Marketing + Promotions that has worked with major retailers, including Target and Best Buy, for over twenty years as a manufacturer’s representative.   GreenLine has signed an exclusive agreement with Tirta Marta to provide marketing and sales for Ecoplas™ 25 bags in the US and Canada.  David Arundel, President of Redline, has been named to the same post at GreenLine.  

Tirta Marta, headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, is an ISO 9001 certified company and has been in the packaging business for almost thirty years, mainly in Asia and Europe.  Sugi Tandio, President of Tirta Marta, and inventor of Ecoplas™ 25, was educated in the US and worked at 3M in Minneapolis for ten years as a chemical engineer.  

Contact:
Chris Preus, Vice President - GreenLine Marketing
952.380.5929
mailto:cpreus@greenlinemkt.com
Web site - http://www.ecoplasusa.com

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About GreenLine Marketing: GreenLine Marketing, a privately held Minnesota company, is a recently formed offshoot of Redline Marketing + Promotions that has worked with major retailers, including Target and Best Buy, for over twenty years as a manufacturer’s representative. GreenLine has signed an exclusive agreement with Tirta Marta to provide marketing and sales for Ecoplas™ 25 bags in the US and Canada. David Arundel, President of Redline, has been named to the same post at GreenLine.