Dublin-based Thorn Environmental has introduced a line of bio-based plastic recyclable refuse sacks and sheet films which capture and store carbon at the rate of 200 kilograms for every 1,000 kg of product.

The carbon capture products are marketed under the brand name earth2earth. They are manufactured from biomass produced when ethanol is refined from sugar cane.

Managing director Myles Thorn  explained: “We are delighted to bring to the Irish market the first bio-based, carbon capture refuse sacks, liners and films. These are certified by the Carbon Trust for their carbon footprint, which is minus 0.2kg per kilo from cradle to gate, removing 200kg of carbon for each tonne of material delivered.” 

The bio-based (plant) content is also certified by TUV, a product certification company in Austria.

Thorn Environmental  says that products are sustainable and renewable, being produced in plant-based ethanol production that captures carbon, which is then turned into High Density Polyethylene.

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According to Thorn, “The CO2 saving when compared to ‘normal’ plastic bags is up to 2.9kg per kg of product. So if you weigh your existing plastic bag and multiply the weight by 2.9 this will give you the estimated CO2 saving. For example, if you switched one tonne of ‘normal’ plastic over to our carbon capture film, the CO2 saving would be 2.9 tonnes.”

Thorn Environmental started making environmentally friendly plastics in 1998. It was the first company in the world to produce water and heat resistant compostable sacks.

The family firm booked a net profit of €246,000 in the year to January 2019, after incurring a depreciation charge of €21,000. Net worth at period end was €2.6m.

Photo: Myles Thorn  (left) and Adam Thorn