Disposing of Biodegradable Dishes
Is Compostable Tableware Eco-friendly if You Throw it in the Trash?
Jul 12, 2009
As awareness grows about the burgeoning landfills and the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle, many people are clamouring for products that are biodegradable or compostable. Bagasse and starch-based tableware are one such product that offers the convenience of disposable dishes without the guilt about adding to the landfills . But before you jump on this bandwagon, consider how you will dispose of these products after you use them.
Throwing Biodegradable Dishes in the Trash
Disposing of these products in the trash defeats all the environmental benefits of using them. Although in theory, given enough time these dishes will decompose in non-ideal environments, in actuality, nothing decomposes in traditional landfills. Landfills are designed to prevent products from breaking down into harmful elements that could contaminate the surrounding soil and water. As a result, even organic products don't breakdown in the anaerobic, dry, landfill environment. Some North American cities are starting to build waste disposal systems that allow products to decompose, but these facilities are still rare.
Composting Dishes in Your Backyard Composter
Biodegradable plates, bowls, containers, cups, and glasses can be composted in a home composter and generally decompose in 3-6 months (the amount of time varies for specific products). However, products contaminated with oil, salad dressing, grease, and so on should not be placed in home compost because their odor attacks pests and animals. If you use these plates or bowls for typical picnic or barbeque food, they are likely to have remains from salad oils, mayonnaise, meat juices, and so on, which make them unsuitable for home composting. In addition, biodegradable cutlery is too thick to decompose in home composters and must be sent to a commercial composting facility where the temperature of the compost is higher.
Putting Biodegradable Dishes in Curbside Compost Pickup
If your community has a curbside pickup program for garden waste and organic food waste, verify that they accept biodegradable or compostable tableware. Many don't. If you put these plates into the collection bins, workers may simply remove them and throw them in the trash/landfill or they may reject the entire bin of materials because it was contaminated with non-acceptable items. Some programs accept paper and biodegradable plates only if they are not contaminated with food, oil, or grease.
Taking Compostable Tableware to a Commercial Composting Facility
Check for the location of a facility in your area and then verify that they accept biodegradable or compostable tableware. There are only about 500 of these facilities in the US so you may have difficulty finding one close enough for you to use. In addition, not all facilities accept biodegradable tableware or dishes that are contaminated with food, oil, or grease.
The Future of Biodegradable and Compostable Tableware
Using biodegradable or compostable tableware is not necessarily eco-friendly. Without proper disposable, they have limited benefits and, in some cases, make the situation worse (for example, if they contaminate other compostable materials). However, since these products are made from renewable resources such as bagasse, cornstarch, and other starches, there is some benefit to continuing to produce and use them. To maximize their benefit, communities also need to redesign waste disposal facilities to accommodate these products and that will only happen when enough people are using biodegradable tableware and demanding ways to dispose of it in an eco-friendly manner.
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