I can't believe it's taken this long, but I have finally eaten my first meal with biodegradable utensils, at the Stellenbosch Organic Farmers' Market today at the Stellenbosch Waldorf School. The supplier claims that compostable plates, bowls, knives, forks and spoons will degrade in ideal composting conditions within six months or less, depending on what they are made from. The cutlery is made with plastarch (PSM): modified cornstarch combined with several other biodegradable materials. The cornstarch is modified in order to obtain heat-resistant properties, making PSM one of the only bioplastics capable of withstanding high temperatures. They even feel stronger than a lot of petroleum-based disposable knives and forks that I have used.
Other products suppplied by Green Home are made from polylactic acid (PLA) or bagasse. Frankly, I am amazed that more caterers and retailers aren't using these products.
This stuff can be made from PLA to! Same thing - but from corn. It doesn't look quite as bad - you can alter colours etc without losing compostability. www.compostablepackaging.co.uk - the lot that make it. The next step is bringing style to it - so people don't REALISE it's compostable from looking.
Posted by: Ali | 18 December 2007 at 03:03 PM