Q: What are biodegradable and compostable products?
Biodegradable and compostable products are made from organic, natural materials like corn, and bagasse (sugar cane). These products come from annually renewable resources and are sustainably manufactured, non-toxic while in use and decompose back into the soil.
Q: What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
Compostable Product is a product which is "capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the product is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose). and leaves no toxic residue." American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM).
In order for a plastic to be called compostable, three (3) criteria must be met:
- Biodegrade: break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass at the same rate as cellulose (paper).
- Disintegrate: the material is indistinguishable in the compost that it is not visible and needs to be screened out.
- No Eco-toxicity: the biodegradation does not produce any toxic material and the compost can support plant growth.
Biodegradable Plastic is plastic which will degrade from naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi etc. over a period of time. Note, that there is no requirement for leaving "no toxic residue", and as well as no requirement for the time it needs to take to biodegrade.
Q: What’s wrong with plastic and Styrofoam?
Plastic and Styrofoam are non-biodegradable, petroleum derived, stay in the environment for hundreds to thousands of years and leach toxic substances into the groundwater. Approximately 40 billion plastic utensils are used every year in the USA alone, together with billions of Styrofoam and plastic cups, plates etc. Biodegradable products can, therefore, reduce landfill mass by as much as 30%.
Q: What’s wrong with paper plates?
Most paper disposable products are made from virgin wood fiber, which depletes our natural forests and the eco-services that forests provide. In comparison, SFWare products made from bagasse is a byproduct of sugar cane production, a readily renewable resource and widely grown all over the world, and requires less energy to produce compared to paper plates. Trees can take up to 30 years to mature, while sugarcane only takes one year making it a sustainable resource.
Q: What’s the difference between PLAWare/Corn products and SFWare/Bagasse products?
PLAWare products are made from corn starch, while SFWare/bagasse products are made from residual sugar cane fiber (a waste product of sugar production). PLAWare products work better with cold materials, while SFWare products work with both hot and cold materials.
Q: What is the shelf life of your products?
PLAWare and SFWare products have an estimated shelf life of two years. Products should be stored in a cool dry area to achieve maximum life expectancy. PLA products should not be exposed to heat levels over 110 degrees F.
Q: How long will these products take to break down?
Biocompatible products do not decompose on their own. They must enter the composting process. This entails putting them into the soil with food, yard waste and other organic materials. Once the biocompatible product enters the compost system, it will decompose over a few months.
Decomposition time is dependent on two factors. One factor is the way in which biodegradable products are disposed. Biodegradables are best disposed of in a commercial composting system, as commercial compost piles contain large amounts of moisture, are kept at a high heat and are aerated frequently. In commercial composting systems bioplastics are expected to degrade within 180 days. Within a home composting system, where high levels of heat are not able to be reached and where aeration depends on how often the owner is willing to turn their pile, bioplastics can take more than 180 days to degrade. Another factor is product thickness. The thicker a product is the longer it will take to degrade. Many commercial facilities grind or cut products such as biodegradable cutlery in smaller pieces to decrease degradation time.
Q: Which products are the most sustainable?
SFWare products, which are made from sugar cane fiber leftover from juice extraction, are very sustainable products. It uses a waste product that would otherwise be land filled or incinerated.
Q: Isn’t using corn for disposable products wasting a valuable food source?
No, because it is made from No. 2 yellow dent field corn, the most abundant and cheapest source of fermentable sugar in the USA. We use very little of available USA corn crop.
Q: Have your items been tested for Compostability by reliable sources?
All PLAWare products we carry are certified by ASTM and BPI for compostability.
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