However, just how long does decomposition of compostable plates take? How long the decomposition of compostable plates takes is a question that many people might ask, and several factors influence what the answer is. Generally, if a compostable plate is placed in a commercial compost facility, it will take less than days to completely decompose. However, it can take as little as 45 to 60 days, depending upon the unique make and style of the compostable plate.
The type of material that the plate is made of can affect how quickly it will decompose. Compostable plates are all made of natural resources, but those resources can differ.
For instance, some compostable plates may be constructed of corn, some may be made from cellulose, others might be made from bamboo, and so on. There are devices that distinguish PLA from other plastics optically using light , but there isn't usually enough PLA in the recycling mix to warrant doing that, Yepsen said.
Some take this TreeHugger article, for example argue that compostable materials are better for the environment than conventional ones, even if both wind up in the landfill, because the compostable items were made from renewable resources, such as corn, rather than from non-renewable, petroleum-based plastic.
Yepsen is in this camp. An August report that Canepa co-authored found that compostable dishware items that were composted tended to have higher environmental impacts across their life cycles than non-compostable equivalents. Yepsen, however, does not believe that life-cycle analyses alone can answer which products are better for the environment.
What can be done to ensure that compostable dishware actually winds up in the compost? Ashley P. Taylor is a writer based in Brooklyn, New York. As a science writer, she focuses on molecular biology and health, though she enjoys learning about experiments of all kinds.
In addition to science, Ashley loves music, dance and language in all its wide possibilities. It depends. Ingeo items do not breakdown well in most digesters. We recommend that you check with your digester manufacturer directly to see if foodservice items will affect the performance of the device.
Technology is always changing, so we hope that more digesters can work with Ingeo in the near future and we like to hear about models that do work with Ingeo or other bioplastics.
For now, we recommend that Ingeo go into a land-based commercial compost facility only. Compostable sugarcane and paper items may work better in digesters, but again, we strongly encourage you to check with the manufacturer first.
Remember, that the majority of hot cups, soup cups, and paper food containers are lined with a plastic or bioplastic lining. Even if the paper works in your digester, the plastic lining may pose an issue. Do compostable products breakdown better if they are shredded or chopped into smaller pieces? Not necessarily. Clear Ingeo foodservices items will break down at about the same rate regardless of size extremely large or dense items may take even more time. The composting process primarily depends on heat, moisture, and time, and even small pieces of Ingeo require the same conditions to start composting.
Paper items may break down faster in smaller pieces, but commercial composters know their systems well and often will chop material into the ideal size for their needs. Are your compostable products marine degradable?
No, our products are not certified as marine degradable and we strongly encourage everyone to keep all plastics out of oceans and waterways. Land-based commercial compost facilities have the ability to maintain ideal composting conditions and sustained heat and moisture needed for Ingeo to break down entirely with the appropriate soil bacteria, yeast, and fungi.
The ocean is salty and filled with life that is affected when plastics enter the water. The compost process does not occur there. Additionally, there is more and more research all the time showing the harmful effects of plastics in the ocean, including the impacts on birds that often mistake plastics for fish and eat them. Please help keep our oceans and waterways free of litter and plastic and dispose of any waste responsibly.
How do you certify your compostable products? Our compostable items meet the ASTM standards for compostability. They are certified to meet these standards by the Biodegradable Products Institute BPI which uses scientifically based standards to determine if a product is compostable in a commercial facility.
Products cannot contain the BPI logo unless they have been officially certified. So look for the words "BPI Certified" and you can be confident that your product will break down in a commercial facility. If I can't compost, what should I do? For disposal, naturally we recommend composting if it's available, but if not, please dispose of all foodservice items responsibly.
Even if these items head to the landfill, this is preferred to leaving items to escape as litter into the environment. There is still an important environmental benefit to choosing Eco-Products items over traditional foam or plastic items that contain no recycled content or renewable materials.
Some of your products are compostable. Is that the same as biodegradable? Biodegradable and compostable can be confusing terms. Technically, both words define biological processes, but they have become prevalent marketing terms as well. This tends to blur the difference between the two, which is understandably confusing!
Biodegradation is a larger natural process that can happen in a number of ways, including composting. Composting is very specific process that happens only in situations with the right microorganisms and environmental conditions — and it creates humus, water, and heat. Other biodegradation processes do not make humus, which is an important part of soils. Other things "biodegrade" in different ways, such as in water, with sunlight, heat, or even chemicals, but compostable products breakdown or biodegrade into compost through the composting process only.
Our products are certified compostable by a third-party organization called BPI and they meet the strict ASTM composting standards for each material type. That's why our products are labeled "compostable" and not "biodegradable". It is our go-to guide to avoid greenwashing and the reason we do not label our items as 'biodegradable".
Unfortunately the term 'biodegradable' has no strict legal definition, so look for the words "BPI Certified" to ensure your compostable item meets the best standards for compostability. Are your products recyclable?
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