In a bid to prevent consumers from potential explosions and gas leaks, a local liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) brand has released a biodegradable safety seal.
Solane started rolling out Bioseal, an LPG safety seal made of biodegradable plastic for people “to identify verified Solane tanks from dangerous counterfeits that could lead to (fire) accidents.”
“Our core mission is to deliver products and services that will ensure the safety of consumers. While we already have a number of initiatives in place to support our objectives, we’re continuously looking for ways to provide even better service to our customers,” said Valeri Villano, marketing manager of Isla LPG, the corporation behind the local brand.
“Bioseal will make it easier for Filipinos to verify their Solane tank’s authenticity, so they themselves can continue to protect their families,” Villano added.
Sustainability
Compared to traditional plastic seals, Bioseal is lightweight, easier to recycle and takes a shorter time to decompose.
The company noted that the new seal will only take an estimate of five to ten years to biodegrade contrary to 500 to 1,000 years normal plastic wastes that need to decompose.
Consumer safety
Aside from its reduced environmental impact, it also features an “improved locking mechanism” for both POL valve or “de roskas” with the counterclockwise twist thread and A/S valve or “de salpak” with the snap-on auto shut-off feature.
For “de roskas”, it has been upgraded with inked markings that are “harder” and “costlier” to replicate as it requires “specific equipment” to produce.
The LPG retailer also added a QR code on the Bioseals which will redirect users to Solane’s customer service.
“Just like the seal, this feature is also a first in the local LPG industry,” it said.
Bioseals will also help customers differentiate an authentic Solane LPG cylinder from substandard LPGs.
“Verified Solane tanks have markings that show their registration, the specific standards used, the requalification or expiration date which refers to the date the cylinders will be tested again, and the tare weight in kilograms which signifies the weight of an empty cylinder,” it said.
“The tare weight varies per tank – 11.5 to 14 kg for POL and 13 to 15 kg for AS,” it added.
The LPG firm said counterfeits “bear fake seals and incorrect labels,” saying it “has not gone through the proper procedure and standards required for safe and secure LPG.”
Last July 14, the bicameral conference committee approved the proposed LPG Industry Regulation Act, which aims to have a standard regulation on the LPG industry.
READ: Proposed LPG law now up for Duterte’s signature
Once passed into law, it will set the best conduct and practices for all domestic industry players and institutionalize the cylinder exchange and swapping program to allow consumers to purchase any LPG cylinder brand of their choice.
LPG is commonly used for different purposes, including heating, lighting, cooking on a daily basis by four in 10 Filipino households, and even for fuel for motor vehicles.
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