Aug 28, 2020
53,333 blue whales. 1,333,333 elephants. 615,384 school buses. What do all of these numbers have in common? Take a minute, think about it. What could blue whales, elephants, and school buses possibly have in common? We’ll give you a hint: they’re all really heavy. Give up? Well, that number of blue whales, elephants, and school buses is how many of each of those add up to 8 million metric tons. But what’s the significance of 8 million metric tons? What could possibly weigh that much? That’s the amount of plastic waste that is dumped into oceans every single year. Isn’t that shocking? To put this in perspective, there are only 25,000 blue whales left in the world. That means we dump twice the weight of the world’s living blue whales’ worth of plastic into the oceans each year. It’s mind-boggling!
We all know that marine plastic pollution is a worldwide issue that not only threatens marine wildlife, but humans as well. Any plastic that is consumed by marine animals that humans then consume as seafood has the potential to transfer harmful effects to us. One of the easiest ways to help plug the plastic faucet at its source is to choose products that are made from marine degradable materials. But what does marine degradable mean? Basically, a product that is certified for biodegradation in a marine environment will either list successful passing of ASTM D6691–an American test standard for marine biodegradation–or will show a TUV OK biodegradable MARINE certification. The difficult catch in marine certification is that organizations don’t want to encourage people to toss trash in the ocean just because it will biodegrade. Therefore, the OK MARINE certification can only be reported for products that are meant for marine usage (like fishing gear for example).
When products or materials are marine degradable, this means they will disintegrate (ie, physically break down) into pieces smaller than 2mm in just 3 months, and will be completely biodegraded (ie, chemically broken down to innocuous elements and compounds) in under 6 months. This makes these materials much less likely to harm marine wildlife. From plastic bags, to microplastics, to balloons, to kilograms of congealed plastic waste–any of these have the potential to be fatal to marine life. In fact, in 2006 a Cuvier’s beaked whale was found dead after a single plastic bag entangled its intestines. A whale was taken down by a single plastic bag. We tend to brush off animal deaths that are caused by plastic internally; if we can’t visually look at it and see the damage that plastics have done, then plastics aren’t at fault, and we can continue justifying their usage to provide convenience for ourselves . But these animals deserve an ecosystem where they don’t need to worry about consuming something that clearly resembles food but will eventually kill them.
It’s a tough position to be in. While we want to have the convenience of single-use plastic products, we do so at the expense of our oceans and marine wildlife. At UrthPact, it’s our goal to keep 25 billion pieces of plastic from oceans and landfills. And while this is just a tiny dent in the 51 trillion pieces that are already floating around in our oceans, we want to do everything in our power to make a difference. Every single straw, coffee pod, or piece of cutlery we produce and sell is one less plastic piece headed to a landfill or the ocean. Each little dent we make is a piece of the larger solution. By beginning the transfer over to marine degradable and compostable materials, we truly have solved the single-use plastics problem. Now, we just have to share that solution with the world. Things are changing. What can you do to make a difference?
Aug 21, 2020
Bioplastic. It’s a word that’s becoming much more common in our vernacular in recent years. The single-use plastics industry is constantly looking for new ways to be more sustainable, and integrating bioplastics into the industry is one of those ways. We started with recycled-content materials, but those materials will still end up in landfills at some point. We then moved on to bio-based materials, which are made completely or mostly out of renewable or biological materials. While a great step forward, bio-based materials aren’t necessarily biodegradable or compostable, and most likely will still end up sitting in landfills. Finally, we’ve reached bioplastics, which by definition are biodegradable, meaning they will break down to innocuous elements or materials. As bioplastics become more common in the single-use consumer products industry, it’s important for businesses to understand exactly what bioplastics are, and why they’re important.
The written definition of bioplastic is a type of biodegradable plastic derived from biological substances rather than petroleum. The key word here is biodegradable. Other materials that are labeled as bio-based or other phrases are not guaranteed to be biodegradable; they only indicate that a large portion of the materials used to make the product are biologically-based. It states nothing of the product’s end-of-life. Many bioplastics also qualify as compostable, meaning that the elements or compounds they break down into also contribute to and create a great nutrient-rich fertilizer with no ecotoxic effects and supports plant growth. This is a key difference between bioplastic products and bio-based products. This difference makes bioplastics the more planet-healthy option.
There are two bioplastics that currently dominate the industry: polylactic acids (PLAs) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). The main differentiators between these two materials are their feedstocks and their compostabilities. PLAs are made from a corn starch or sugar cane base while PHAs are from a canola oil base. On the back end, PLAs must be composted in industrial or commercial facilities under specialized conditions, while PHAs can compost just about anywhere on Earth (including being able to biodegrade in both the oceans and landfills in many cases). The complexity of the compost conditions for PLAs is one of the largest limiting factors for the material, as it can be difficult to find facilities that will be able to compost them. PLAs also become brittle over long periods of time, giving them a shorter shelf life than products made from other materials. For PHAs, the novelty of the material is it’s greatest barrier. There is still much research to be done to scale up the industrial production of PHAs cost effectively.
Humans like convenience. We like not having to worry about our drink spilling from a sippy lid because we didn’t want a straw. Bioplastics allow us to have the convenience of a straw and lid without any of the environmental guilt associated with petroleum-based plastic products. As usage of single-use products and packaging continues to rise, we need to find ways to lessen the impact of these products on the planet. Making them from bioplastics is a start. Especially PHAs, which will break down nearly anywhere on Earth in a fairly short period of time. The single-use problem has truly been solved. The question is, are we ready and able to make the changes that we need to? Or will we let our planet and the wildlife that calls it home continue to suffer? It’s time for a change. It’s time to do the right thing. It’s time for the bioplastic future.
Aug 14, 2020
A sea turtle with a straw in its nose. Whales washing ashore with stomachs filled with plastic bags. Birds feeding plastic pieces to their chicks. Wildlife all over the planet suffers at the hands of plastic pollution, whether they are terrestrial or marine. We tend to only consider marine species when looking at the plastic pollution problem, but it affects terrestrial species just as much. This past week we celebrated World Lion Day, World Elephant Day, and World Hirola Day. Each of these species has been affected by plastic pollution. Elephants in particular have suffered, as landfill waste has overflowed into their habitat, and many animals have suffered from consuming plastic waste.
Besides elephants, a huge range of wildlife are negatively affected by plastic pollution. Some of the most common are marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles, and camels. It’s estimated that 54% of all marine mammals have been impacted by plastic pollution in some way, whether it’s ingestion or entanglement. ⅔ of all seabirds worldwide are negatively affected as well. All 7 species of sea turtles have problems with plastic, especially plastic bags which can mimic jellies in the marine environment. Jellies are a key food source for sea turtles, and therefore it’s estimated that over 50% of all sea turtles have ingested plastic debris at some point. Camels are also impacted mainly by plastic bag waste, and they account for half of the camel deaths on the Arabian Peninsula each year.
Plastic waste negatively impacts wildlife in a variety of ways. One of the main ones is due to the fact that animals consume and ingest plastic waste thinking it’s food. This can lead to a variety of problems. Animals cannot digest or pass plastic once it’s in their digestive system. Therefore, it clogs up their digestive tract, giving the feeling of being full (since there’s no room in their stomachs) but without any of the essential nutrients they need. They basically starve to death with a stomach full of plastic. Ingested plastic debris can also cause internal injury and tear the delicate soft tissues of the digestive tract. AND plastic debris tends to pick up chemical pollutants in the environment before they are ingested, which are then leached into the animal’s system as the body attempts to break it down. Entanglement is also a dangerous consequence of plastic pollution. Not only can it cause external injuries that can become infected, it can drown air-reliant marine life due to immobilization from entanglement. The same can be true for entanglement on land; animals can be rendered immobile, and can die of starvation or dehydration.
Plastic affects more than just humans. For hundreds of thousands of years after it is produced, it affects an enormous range of ecosystems and wildlife. From toxic chemical effects on microorganisms to entangling the internal digestive system of something as large as a sperm whale, plastic affects all walks of life. And it’s our job as humans to protect the other species that call our planet home. We created this plastic problem, and therefore it’s our job to solve it. Beach cleanups and pulling plastic waste from open water are great starts. But it’s time to plug the problem at the source. We need everyone working together to solve the plastic pollution problem. What can you do?
Aug 7, 2020
What is compost? We’ve been hearing that word a lot recently in the bioplastic industry, as compostable materials have been surging in popularity in recent years. Compost is defined as “a mixture that consists mainly of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land.” More simply put, compost is decayed organic matter: basically broken down food scraps, lawn cuttings, and other nature- or plant-based materials that have been discarded and decomposed by both the elements and microorganisms. Compost is used to fertilize soil, and add nutrients that support plant growth and help microbial communities flourish. It’s a great alternative to chemical-based fertilizers. The composting process opens the door for us to be able to create products with a completely circular lifecycle.
There are two main types of compost: industrial (aka commercial) compost, and home (aka backyard) compost. The two types of compost are distinguished by the conditions under which they occur. Industrial compost occurs at much higher temperatures than can occur in nature and requires a specialized community of microorganisms in order to break down the materials added to the pile. Normally, industrial composting is done in a special facility where these conditions can be met. Home compost can occur in any backyard compost pile, or in a variety of other natural environments. It occurs at ambient temperatures and with natural communities of microbes. Materials that are home compostable have a truly circular lifecycle, as they contribute back to the Earth they came from.
Of all of the waste that humans produce that is transported to landfills, over 50% of it is made up of materials that could be composted. This means we could reduce the volume of waste in landfills worldwide by 50 PERCENT! This would not only reduce the size of landfills worldwide but also reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. In landfills, compostable materials will biodegrade anaerobically (without oxygen) and release methane gas, a very common greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. In a compost setting, materials biodegrade aerobically (with oxygen), and sequester away carbon in the nutrient-rich compost that is created through the composting process, instead of releasing the harmful methane gas. Compost also has a variety of other benefits, not only for the soil and the soil ecosystem but for a variety of other industries as well.
We have often seen recycling as the solution to our waste problem. But recycling is inefficient and not a completely circular process. Recycling is more akin to downcycling, as products made from recycled materials are often of a much lower quality than the originals. As waste continues to pile up, we need a better solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Compostable materials are exactly that. Many home compostable bioplastic materials will not only break down completely in home compost but also in landfill and marine ecosystems as well. By encouraging communities to implement composting programs, the community will not only save money but the planet as well.
Aug 5, 2020
Up until recently, recycling has been a great method of addressing plastic pollution in our society. It allows us to get a few more uses out of a product or material rather than simply just throwing it away. But realistically, material can only be recycled once or twice before it is of too low a quality to be recycled again. And, products made from recycled materials are usually of a lower quality than were the original products. Compostable bioplastics provide the opportunity for products to be remade indefinitely, creating a fully circular economy for packaging and other products. Here are 10 reasons why compost is better than recycling:
- Composting costs less . Collection and disposal costs for recycling are 7 TIMES HIGHER than those for composting (about $166 per ton for recycling vs. about $23 per ton for composting). Plus, compost done at home is absolutely free!
- Allows for more usage out of a material. Materials can normally only pass through the recycling system one to two times. This is due to the fact that the recycling process reduces the quality of traditional plastic materials every time they pass through the system, which essentially makes recycling actually downcycling. Composting on the other hand creates a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can then be used to grow a feedstock to create brand new material.
- Better beginnings. Compostable materials come from natural sources, like corn starch, sugar cane, and canola oil. Their production processes are carbon neutral, meaning they don’t have negative effects on our planet. The production of traditional plastic materials on the other hand releases a variety of toxic and unhealthy chemicals into the atmosphere.
- Can be done in your backyard. The entire compost process can be done for free in your home! This is not only cost-saving but will provide healthy soil for a home garden.
- Higher quality products. Because recycling produces lower-quality materials, the products made from those materials are also of lower quality. But compostables are always fresh materials, meaning a higher quality product for the customer.
- Decreases the volume of waste in landfills. Over 50% of the waste taken to landfills can actually be composted, the bulk of which is food waste. If we removed this waste and composted it, we could greatly decrease the amount of land space that is currently occupied by landfills.
- Creates nutrient-rich soils. Compost is made of decaying organic matter, which provides a wide variety of nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then help to support plant growth and strong microbial communities.
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions. When compostables break down in landfills they release methane gas, which is one of the most common greenhouse gases in the atmosphere contributing to global warming. However, if those compostables are properly composted, then the carbon that makes up the methane gas is sequestered away in the soil, rather than released into the atmosphere.
- Increases biodiversity. Compost in the soil helps to attract a variety of microorganisms to assist in the composting process, as well as contribute to the microbial and insect biodiversity in the soil. Increased biodiversity indicates an overall healthier ecosystem.
- Compost protects from soil erosion. Having a healthy layer of compost helps to prevent valuable and fertile topsoil from being eroded away by wind or rain. This retains the fertility of the soil for future seasons.
While compost may seem like a new process to us, it’s not. Composting is a completely natural process that has been occurring on Earth since the first plants appeared. We have the ability to take advantage of this process so that we can not only have the convenience of single-use products but protect our planet as well. It provides such a wide range of opportunities that we currently aren’t making use of. Recycling was a great step in recognizing we needed to do something to alleviate the plastic pollution problem, but now we need to continue to build on the knowledge that we’ve obtained. We need to take action to continue protecting the planet, especially now. Compostables and composting are key opportunities to achieve this goal, and we need to continue developing and understanding these processes to protect our planet.
