Comments on: Composting Update :: Now with EATware Biodegradable Food Containers http://www.gogreencharleston.org/2008/03/06/composting-update-now-with-eatware-biodegradable-food-containers/ We Can Do This Together Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:14:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Chad Norman http://www.gogreencharleston.org/2008/03/06/composting-update-now-with-eatware-biodegradable-food-containers/#comment-15845 Chad Norman Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:26:50 +0000 http://www.gogreencharleston.org/2008/03/06/composting-update-now-with-eatware-biodegradable-food-containers/#comment-15845 Thanks for the info. I think it is worth pointing out here that a lot of the trash in Charleston is collected by Fennell Container. None of this trash ends up in the landfill - it gets incinerated. In locations where this is the practice, biodegradable containers are wasted. Also, a reusable container is the real solution. There is no reason a single-use item must be used to transport food from store to kitchen. Thanks for the info. I think it is worth pointing out here that a lot of the trash in Charleston is collected by Fennell Container. None of this trash ends up in the landfill - it gets incinerated. In locations where this is the practice, biodegradable containers are wasted.

Also, a reusable container is the real solution. There is no reason a single-use item must be used to transport food from store to kitchen.

]]> By: Leslie http://www.gogreencharleston.org/2008/03/06/composting-update-now-with-eatware-biodegradable-food-containers/#comment-15110 Leslie Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:18:27 +0000 http://www.gogreencharleston.org/2008/03/06/composting-update-now-with-eatware-biodegradable-food-containers/#comment-15110 I hate to bust your bubble, but compostable products are only going to degrade in commercial or municipal composts, not in a backyard compost. They need higher temperatures than backyard composts. (Please look up the standard for composting- ASTM 6400.)In a recent article in the Smithstonian Magazine, a gentleman put a compostable container in his compost for 6 months and it never changed one iota. There are 113 commercial composts in the US and only 1/4 take food scraps and compostables. I would recommend a product that will degrade in a landfill- Green Film. It is certified to break down anaerobically, no oxygen and leave no harmful chemicals behind like oxy degradables. Whole Foods and Wal-Mart have also stated that they will use biobased food containers, but won't take them back and recycle them. Why? Because they can't be recycled with regular plastics, only biobased. I hate to bust your bubble, but compostable products are only going to degrade in commercial or municipal composts, not in a backyard compost. They need higher temperatures than backyard composts. (Please look up the standard for composting- ASTM 6400.)In a recent article in the Smithstonian Magazine, a gentleman put a compostable container in his compost for 6 months and it never changed one iota. There are 113 commercial composts in the US and only 1/4 take food scraps and compostables. I would recommend a product that will degrade in a landfill- Green Film. It is certified to break down anaerobically, no oxygen and leave no harmful chemicals behind like oxy degradables. Whole Foods and Wal-Mart have also stated that they will use biobased food containers, but won’t take them back and recycle them. Why? Because they can’t be recycled with regular plastics, only biobased.

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