Cereplast Opens Nationwide “Make Your Mark” Competition for New Bioplastics Symbol

Designer of the Winning Symbol to Receive $25,000

Creator of the Recycling Symbol, Gary Anderson to Judge Contest

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP), a leading manufacturer of proprietary bio-based, compostable and sustainable plastics, announced today that it has opened its nationwide design competition, “Make Your Mark,” for a symbol that represents “bioplastics.” The symbol will indicate that a product is made from "green," bio-based material, not petroleum-based material. “Make Your Mark” design entries can be submitted via www.iizuu.com/cereplast, where the official rules and guidelines are also posted. Visit the “About” tab for additional contest details and the “Contest” tab to vote for or to submit a design.

“Cereplast's competition represents our commitment to educating and helping consumers make smarter purchasing decisions that help preserve and protect our environment”

"Cereplast's competition represents our commitment to educating and helping consumers make smarter purchasing decisions that help preserve and protect our environment," said Frederic Scheer, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast. "Companies are increasingly looking at bio-based plastics made from renewable resources like corn, wheat, and algae as an alternative to petroleum-sourced plastics in order to meet soaring consumer demand for economically and ecologically sound, 'green' products. The bioplastics symbol will enable consumers to easily identify products made from bioplastics, similar to the globally recognized recycling symbol we see on thousands of plastic products."

The Make Your Mark bioplastics symbol contest is open to legal residents of the United States. Entrants are required to submit a symbol design that, when stamped on a product, will clearly serve as an indication that the product is made from bioplastics. This new symbol will serve in a similar fashion to how the recycling symbol is used to identify products that are made from recycled materials and/or are recyclable.

It is mandatory for the design to have the ability to be "single-color," or colorless, and easily identifiable. Design submissions need to include three variations to symbolize the end of life options for the product—whether to compost or recycle it. The three variations include: a general bioplastics symbol; a version identifying compostability; and a version indicating recyclability.

The deadline for Make Your Mark design entries is March 4, 2011. The top 50 entries will be determined based on a public voting system available at www.iizuu.com/cereplast. The judges will select the top three designs and the winner will be announced on Earth Day Eve, April 21, 2011, at a gala event in Los Angeles, California, in honor of the internationally celebrated Earth Day. The designer of the winning bioplastics symbol will receive $25,000.

Forty-one years ago, Gary Anderson won the competition that produced the globally recognized recycling symbol we see on recycled and recyclable products today. Mr. Anderson and industrial designer Karim Rashid are among the panel of renowned judges.

Cereplast produces bio-based, compostable and sustainable plastic substitutes that serve as an environmentally safer alternative to petroleum-based plastics. Cereplast creates a wide range of bioplastic resins to meet surging consumer and industrial demand for economically and ecologically sound, "green" products. Made from renewable resources, — corn, wheat, tapioca, potatoes and algae — Cereplast bioplastics replace traditional petroleum-based plastics in the manufacturing of products and packaging.

About Cereplast, Inc.

Cereplast, Inc. (NASDAQ: CERP) designs and manufactures proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics which are used as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics in all major converting processes - such as injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and extrusions - at a pricing structure that is competitive with petroleum-based plastics. On the cutting-edge of bio-based plastic material development, Cereplast now offers resins to meet a variety of customer demands. Cereplast Compostables® Resins are ideally suited for single use applications where high bio-based content and compostability are advantageous, especially in the food service industry. Cereplast Sustainables™ Resins combine high bio-based content with the durability and endurance of traditional plastic, making them ideal for applications in industries such as automotive, consumer electronics and packaging. Learn more at www.cereplast.com. You may also visit the Cereplast social networking pages at Facebook.com/Cereplast, Twitter.com/Cereplast and Youtube.com/Cereplastinc.

Safe Harbor Statement

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