Brazil’s Supreme Court Upholds Biodegradable Plastic Law in Landmark Ruling

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has upheld a law mandating biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastic bags, marking a major victory for sustainability. Symphony Environmental hails this decision as a breakthrough for eco-friendly plastics and waste management solutions in Brazil.

Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc (AIM:SYM), the global specialists in technologies that make plastic and rubber products smarter, safer, and more sustainable, welcomes a historic decision by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) of Brazil, which upheld Complementary Law 233/2008. This ruling mandates the use of reusable or biodegradable or oxo-biodegradable plastic bags in commercial establishments in Piracicaba, marking a significant victory for environmental sustainability. 

Key Highlights: 

Supreme Federal Court Ruling: 

The STF's decision confirms the validity of Complementary Law 233/2008, which requires the use of reusable, biodegradable or oxo-biodegradable plastic bags in the City of Piracicaba (pop.440,000). 

This ruling has national implications, confirming the validity of similar laws across Brazil. 

Background and Legislative Journey: 

the law was initially challenged by the São Paulo State Plastic Material Industry Union and held unconstitutional by the São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP) in 2011. 

The STF's ruling on Extraordinary Appeal 732.686 reversed this decision, affirming the law's validity, and emphasizing the legislative authority of municipalities on local environmental matters. 

Implementation and Compliance: 

Following the STF's directive, the TJ-SP granted a 12-month compliance period, which expired on February 21, 2025  

Environmental Impact: 

The law mandates the use of reusable, biodegradable, or oxo-biodegradable bags in commercial establishments, promoting sustainable practices and environmental preservation. The fact that it mandates oxo-biodegradable bags is particularly important, because the main problem with plastic is that it creates microplastics and can lie or float around for decades. Oxo-biodegradability solves this problem because it makes the bags safely biodegrade much more quickly if they escape into the open environment.  See www.biodeg.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/BPA-Position-paper-1.12.24.pdf  It does not create microplastics – See https://www.biodeg.org/subjects-of-interest/microplastics/  

Michael Laurier, CEO of Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc, commented: 

"We welcome the Supreme Federal Court's decision. This landmark ruling is a significant victory for the environment, and underscores the importance of sustainable practices. We believe this decision will open up new opportunities for our d2w oxo-biodegradable plastic technology, as it aligns perfectly with the growing demand for practical solutions. Symphony Environmental is committed to providing innovative technologies that make plastic and rubber products smarter, safer, and more sustainable. This ruling paves the way for wider adoption of our eco-friendly solutions across Brazil and beyond." 

Brazil is a major economy and consumes more than 7.5 million tonnes of plastic (5 times more than Saudi Arabia).  Brazil faces significant challenges with plastic waste management, generating 10.68 million tonnes of waste annually and recycling only 1.28%. This makes d2w oxo-biodegradable plastic technology an obvious answer, being low cost and non-disruptive to the supply chain."