(Hong Kong, 4 April 2001) Nixon Cleaning Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP), proudly announces that the company has become the vendor of Totally Degradable Plastics, TDP, a product with the technology developed by a Canadian company - EPI Environmental Technologies Inc.

"We are most honourable to be the first company to introduce the new technology to Hong Kong," says Mr. Kwong Chun, the Executive Director of SHKP during a press conference at the Conrad Hotel. "With the plastics that can be 100% degradable, we can continue to enjoy the convenience of using plastic products, without causing any pollution. As a prominent property developer in Hong Kong, SHKP is very environmentally conscious. We desire to do anything we can to make sure everybody lives in a healthy environment, that would be the right of every citizen in Hong Kong."

The novel technology, as developed by EPI, will cause polyethylene films to become brittle and disintegrate much more rapidly than normal. The invention has been awarded one of 'The Millennium Products' by British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, and bestowed with 'The Green Apple Awards 1998', a major environmental protection recognition.

The product answers to Hong Kong's pressing issue of quickly exhausting landfills, to which over 3,000 tons of plastic rubbish are disposed of everyday, and are estimated to be filled up completely in less than 12 years' time.

"EPI has begun its research and development since 1992. We invented this patented technology, TDPA^TM, with additives that can be incorporated into conventional polyolefin resins during manufacturing process. By varying the amount and proportion of different additives, the plastic products can be totally degradable with controlled shelf life from 60 days to 5-6 years. TDPA^TM provides a low cost and speedy fabrication solution to production of environmental friendly plastic products," says Mr. Joseph Gho, the CEO of EPI.

Dr. D. M. Wiles, a world-known expert in polymer stabilisation and degradation explains, "Plastic bags offer us convenience in everyday life. But garbage, most of which normally are biodegradable, once wrapped in traditional plastic bags and buried under landfills, will not be able to degrade easily. The plastic bags prevent free movement of gases and liquids through the refuse in landfills, thus significantly reducing the landfill's lifespan and delaying the release of methane gases."

He adds, "By applying the TDPA^TM technology, Nixon is producing plastic products that can be degraded subjected to sunlight, heat and/or stress, and only harmless and invisible products such as carbon dioxide and water are generated after the final stage of natural biodegradation process. It is much more effective and affordable than recycling, from which the plastic products produced are not as durable anyway. TDPA^TM is indeed a remarkable achievement of the century."

Nixon has already brought to market TDP garbage bags, umbrella bags, newspaper bags, shopping bags and tablecloths. Other TDP products are in the pipeline.

Issue: Nixon Cleaning Company Limited (SHKP wholly owned subsidiary)

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