Neil Brown, customer advisor at that time, wrote: The beauty of cornstarch packaging, is that you can dispose of it exactly how you like and the result will still be environmentally friendly. Reuse the packaging material. It could be shredded and composted then. You could also ask about packaging made of diary by-products etc. They should look at reusable/refillable systems, using containers, which produce Zero Waste. I completely understand what you are saying and yes I agree, incineration is a method of waste disposal which is by no means zero waste. As part of their plan A (because there is no plan B), Marks and Spencer announced they would be using more and more of this cornstarch derived plastic for packaging their products. (would love to hear your thoughts on this) As such, we do use plastics on many products and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Can we really go this route? Incineration is prefered over landfill as at least energy is produced from it. There are other technologies (Pyrolysis and Gasification) which are also being trialled though well behind AD developments. I have successfully composted a few types of PLA products in my home compost pile: spoons from an ice cream shop, plates, and most recently, bowls from Annie Chuns asian cuisine products. Cons: Biodegradable starch-based packing peanuts may be a more environmentally-friendly option, but they do have their disadvantages. However, the real issue around packaging is that what the consumer sees as a waste of money is a real cost saving measure for the growers and retailers. Whether packing peanuts can be recycled or not depends largely on what they are made of and the type of recycling facilities that exist in your area. Remove any stuck-on food, rinse, and put in your blue box. Although they will eventually compost at home, we have had some customers experience difficulties in getting the packaging to compost properly. Compostable materials leave no toxic substances or pollutants in the soil when they break down. they have good functional properties and come in a range of types that are suitable for both the chill chain, the microwave and the conventional oven. With starch-based packaging materials, the product is biodegradable but is not an inferior material when compared with synthetic polymer materials. For example, you can use it to make planters, coasters, or even jewelry. We can include a recycled post consumer waste content and as such, we create a recycling waste stream for the materials that encourages Local Authorities to collect them. for his tomatoes. what i was saying is that simply replace landfill with incineration (as if it were that simple), so we can at least gain some energy from the waste, whilst developing the technology to work toward 100% recycling and eventually zero waste. If milk-o-mats exist & have proven successful, why not have other things refillable or in returnable packaging too? Beeswax Packaging. It all about risk minimisation and as I have sent previously most plants are designed to be environmental sound first, then safe, Engineers have developed tools in order to minimise impact on the environment. The compost I get as a final product is invaluable. One company trying to change this is Biome Bioplastics, which has developed a fully compostable and recyclable cup using natural materials such as potato starch, corn starch, and cellulose, the . This product can be polymerized to create PLA, which is then processed into cups . Originally intended as a packaging material, cornstarch packing peanuts have several other uses. "The beauty of cornstarch packaging, is that you can dispose of it exactly how you like and the result will still be environmentally friendly. I am very interested in waste disposal and the methods available for certain materials. These materials are developed using polylactic acid which, crucially, is biodegradable. Many garages and auto-supply stores that sell motor oil also accept oil for recycling. The producer of that material NatureWorks in the USA makes it quite clear in their marketing literature that it can only be effectively composted in industrial systems and not in home heaps. I phoned up the Coops freephone number to find out what this substance does when the tissue is composted and although I didnt find out exactly what it breaks down to, they did say CO2, water and biomass. Protect your package and your planet with 100% compostable packaging foam. Perhaps it is time for a loose tea revolution! Other brands use corn starch. I have looked at the arguments which claim that incineration hinders recycling, but by looking at our European friends, such as Germany, they incinerate almost five times the amount of waste we do but have higher recycling rates, the form of waste treatment which tkes the hit is landfill. Combine all of the ingredients and stir together. Feeling Guilty About how Little you Recycle? Last year I met a packaging specialist for Tesco he said then was the only person in the companys packaging team with plastics expertise! Green packing peanuts are usually made from recycled materials, making them more eco-friendly than the white and pink ones. Pink packing peanuts are very similar to white ones, but they are sprayed with an anti-static agent which makes them useful for shipping electronics. For many of us the concept of using compostable bags, made with corn-starch, is fairly new. In fact, this method of reuse is an effective way to limit landfill material with both biodegradable and Styrofoam materials. How does lighter packaging reduce transport costs? Compositing is a slow process and in todays society quick solutions are required. Another simple one: yes, they're recyclable! If it dissolves, it is made from plant-based materials. I havent seen any other web site (even CAT Centre for Alternative Technology) that is aware of this plastic contamination due to tea bags because they all recommend composting them. Plastic Air Cushion Bags And Plastic Film. I then responded with the following questions: Neil had left he building by the time I followed this up a few weeks ago, so Alex Hawkins took over to help me with my first question. 1 - PET, used for drinks bottles and some food packaging: Widely recycled. Sadly we cannot use cornstarch packaging across all foods as there are many limitations to the material, the most important being that they are not suitable for use in the microwave or conventional oven. The exact material composition will dictate how fast this happens, but the process is generally the same. We share seven ways to create a natural balance in your garden so you never need to use them. Is it more expensive than standard polystyrene packaging (normal yoghurt pots) ? Disadvantages of corn starch polymers: The biggest disadvantage of bio plastics and corn plastic, is associated with the rate of bio degradation and recycling. Because PLA is plant based, it needs to be disposed of in a composting facility. While the peanuts wont likely do any harm, they are also unlikely to dissolve as fast as desired. I have a neighbor that spends hundreds of dollars on special soil, fertilizer, amendments, watering systems, etc. Entirely plant-based, biodegradable packing peanuts will dissolve in water, making it impossible for them to wind up polluting oceans, lakes, rivers, or waterways. This stuff is extremely hazardous, having caused nightmare developmental damage to the young of Corby many years ago. However I think landfill is the lesser of the two evils as it takes up land space particularly in the countryside just outside cities so therefore the public can see how much more of the countryside will be eaten up by landfill sites if they continue to throw things away instead of first reducing their consumption, secondly finding alternative uses for things they have but no longer want, thirdly repairing what is broken and fourthly recycling. once its incinerated, its gone and weve lost the resource. Some say bioplasticsmade from 20 percent or more of renewable materialscould be the solution to plastic pollution. Corn starch packaging can be very beneficial to the environment and your business. Instead, run under water outside with a hose or at least inside with garbage disposal as a backup. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/dumped-in-africa-britain8217s-toxic-waste-1624869.html. The rest of the answer followed duly, a week later, as promised. BTWI am not a big fan of the microwave food products. Those who live in warmer climates, or wet and warm climates often favor sending packing peanuts to the compost pile. The information provided to you by M&S is quite accurate in its assessment of PLA. Once they've dissolved, you can flush them down the drain. "Take a Look at EPS Recycling." There is a lack of rigour in recycling practice due to the development stage it still occupies. The more we can recycle post-consumer materials, the less energy and fewer resources we waste on creating all-new packaging. As mentioned above, plant-based packing peanuts tend to be dissolvable but exactly how you should manage this may depend on the type of material used to create these packing peanuts and your area. Some foil containers come with a foil-lined paper lid which is not recyclable due to the material mix. Ive now started cutting them up to help speed up the process. For those looking to dispose of packing peanuts, contact local shipping stores to see if they accept them for reuse. In short, their business is identifying needs, amplifying them into greeds then, with their evil twin the advertising industry, to set about marketing the various wares to satisfy these created needs/greeds. No, although states like California are considering legislation that would ban polystyrene entirely. is because we are not living in a sustainable way. May I remind everybody that we are bound by the conservation of Mass principle and that waste that is landfilled or burnt with or without EFW will end up in some form in land, water or air. I agree with you, that all food waste should go down an AD route, there is absolutely no need for it to ever reach any other method of treatment but with plastic waste, AD, composting, vast majorities of recycling, cannot deal with it. M&S have given a full explanation of the shortcomings of PLA, which is commendable. Theres no reason to pay for new packing peanuts if you have an abundance of used ones. Technically, plant-based packing peanuts are made of edible ingredients and can even be accidentally ingested (by both humans and pets) in small amounts. Corn starch-based materials are created using fermented sugars, usually corn starch. A crazy notion I know, but one which I seriously believe might happen when we wake up and realise what we have been doing. This shows your food waste mantra to be a false premise. Referring back to those different materials, not all biodegradable packing peanuts are compostable, but some are. Those who like a neat area should try to make sure the top peanuts dont blow away in the wind, however. But there are still some environmental issues with cornstarch packaging. Would TOTALLY sign that petition!!/. Glad you found us and thanks for leaving a comment . The difference means that biodegradable items will all eventually degrade, although some may take years unassisted. A number of companies have landed on seaweed as a sustainable plastic packaging alternative, in part due to its sheer abundance and the ease of its cultivation. Modern landfills are. Cornstarch based packing peanuts dissolve in water and can even be . I work with kids and have used starch based packing peanuts to make sculptures in art lessons. Cornstarch packaging refers to materials made out of you guessed it cornstarch. It functions like polystyrene foam to trap air, minimize conduction and convection, and maintain the desired temperature inside your shipment. Green Cell Foam is a corn-based foam packaging replacement that is being billed as offering "the most flexibility and convenience in disposal options of ANY packaging materialgoing far beyond just recycling.". Optimal heat, moisture and oxygen levels are all regulated. Alternatively, if you live in a warm area, you could add them to your compost. Even if your local program says it accepts #6 plastic (technically, EPS is a form of #6 plastic), most times it will exclude any foam plastics. Corn starched packaging does have some interesting advantages over synthetic materials such as reduced static electricity. The biggest difference is that Styrofoam is rough and splits when folded, whereas other EPS packaging (such as packing peanuts) is more soft and can bend without breaking. At the end of the process, these plastics leave no visual or toxic residues. This is where I think EfW incineration may have a place in the waste stream. All I will say is that my personal opinion is that incineration is a terrible waste of resources. However, in the last few years, more sustainable materials have been developed, which is good for the environment but confusing for consumers. A blog about how we as a family reduced waste. must think of any pertinent question I may have some. biodegradable plastic bags carrying more ecological harm than good, http://www.j-sainsbury.com/cr/index.asp?pageid=69&year=archive§ion=3, http://mzw.wpengine.com/2008/07/zero-waste-town-in-eastern-japan/, http://mzw.wpengine.com/2010/05/ms-reduce-packaging/, Farmers Garden for swapping surplus home grown produce, How Computer Recycling Can Help You Reduce Waste, Four Ways to Declutter Your Home the Sustainable Way.