bioplastics | Crazy About Compost

When the Left-Hand doesn’t know what the Right-Hand (PLA) is doing.

originally found here: http://woodsend.org/2013/09/left-hand-doesnt-right-hand-pla-doing/ American and European consumers are very familiar with PLA widely marketed as compostable for just about everything from chip-bags to golf-tees. This renowned PLA, a biological plastic made from a “left-hand” lactic-acid molecule, also has a quirk: it requires a pre-heat phase before it will actually biodegrade. That trait is referred to as Tg or “glassy transition” in the trade. Tg is a feature of all plastics and can occur over a very wide range of temperatures, but none as convenient as PLA’s at 55-58°C, making it eligible to be called compostable,- that is, if the compostability test is conducted at or just above the Tg temperature. To be certified compostable means a standard is upheld such as ASTM 6400 for USA or EN 13432 for…

Nice Compostable Cup… How About the Top?

Behold the Ecotainer, the compostable cup. Behold the lid, which will never compost...ever. Maybe I'm just being a jerk, but this is what I'd call a mixed message. Maybe they just ran out of their normal wax paper lid that day and had to default to crappy plastic. Maybe the preferred non-plastic lid cost more. Maybe the paper cup cost more than they wanted it to...which leads me to my first point: I hope the cost of the cup didn't break the bank. There's plenty of paperboard cups on the market that don't say anything about being compostable, even though they are by default. It reminds me of how aerosol cans are labeled "No CFCs"...although they have been banned since 1978. Unnecessary labeling. While I realize that paper isn't devoid…

Quick Questions with Peninsula Compost’s Nelson Widell

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvcqbvBkyNQ Recently I sent a few questions over to Nelson Widell at Wilmington Organic Recycling Center. I've visited the facility a few times, and I had some questions about contamination and sorting, as well as bioplastics and pressure treated wood...so here we go: Tyler: How much compost is created each day? Nelson: We are producing about 200 tons per day of compost. Tyler: What would you say the average contamination rate is for your incoming loads? Nelson: Contamination is approximately 3% by weight. Tyler: What's your least favorite common contaminant you receive from incoming loads? (in compost receptacles available to patrons, I always see ketchup packs and plastic utensils) Nelson: The plastic circular label stickers put on bananas and tomatoes is the least favorite contaminant. Tyler: Describe the sorting system in…