Dec 30, 2020
2021 here we come! We’re all excited to put this rollercoaster of a year that was 2020 behind us, and move on to the *hopefully* promising future to be held in 2021. With vaccines in distribution for COVID, 2021 is already looking better than 2020. On top of planning for getting COVID under control, there are some other problems to be considered and handled in 2021. One of the biggest being plastic pollution and sustainable business practices. Many sustainability goals and plastic pollution movements were put on hold this year to deal with the coronavirus, and plastic usage and pollution spiked dramatically. Masks, gloves, and other single-use products that were necessary to fight this pandemic are now strewn about our natural world as litter and pollution. We know that single-use products are an important part of our society, and we’re here to change the narrative: single-usage isn’t the problem, the material is.
Sustainability goals are a key part of modern business. Consumers look to purchase from organizations that are doing their part to protect and give back to our planet. As we look forward into 2021, we want to provide a resource to help businesses set sustainability goals that will not only appeal to customers, but will also help to solve the truly pressing environmental issues that our planet is facing. At UrthPact, we see plastic pollution as one of the biggest issues threatening our planet, especially with the spike in usage brought on by COVID. It’s all of our responsibility to do our parts to solve the plastic pollution problem, and we’re here to provide some great goals for the new year to help you reduce your plastic usage and waste.
One of the most common and simplest sustainability goals is to eliminate as much single-use plastic and packaging from your business as possible in a certain timeframe. We recognize that achieving these goals won’t happen overnight. However, there are lots of plastic products that we throw away that can easily be replaced by a reusable alternative. For example, instead of having a vending machine with plastic water bottles, provide your employees with reusable bottles and then have a bottle refill station instead. You’ll save money in the long run on disposable bottles and recycling efforts, as well as keep a lot of plastic out of the environment. In the restaurant industry, reusables are great for take-out containers, and they can create a loyal customer base as well.
Now what about the single-use products that it doesn’t make sense to make reusable, like straws? We realize that there are certain products that make sense as disposable and single-use. However, we started making those types of products out of a material (plastic) designed to last for hundreds of years, just because it was easy and cheap. Whenever you do have to utilize a disposable product, try to find a compostable option to provide to your customers. Many home compostable bioplastics can be disposed of with general waste to landfills, where they will break down anaerobically, or can head straight to a composter alongside normal food waste compostables. These materials will continue to become more commercialized in coming years, as bans on single-use plastic product lines become more common worldwide.
Providing compostable alternatives not only helps the end-of-life solution for single-use products, but it contributes to benefits at the beginning of life as well. Compostable bioplastics are made from plant and natural canola bases, and the material production process is much more planet healthy than that of traditional, petroleum-based plastics. So you not only help to conserve resources, but actually remove harmful greenhouse gases from the atmosphere when you purchase and utilize compostable bioplastic disposables.
Another great alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic disposables is utilizing a recycled-content alternative whenever possible. Now, this can be pre-consumer recycled-content (ie, excess material from the manufacturing process that is reground, mixed with virgin material and used again), or post-consumer recycled-content (ie, the product was utilized by a customer, recycled, and used to make a new product). While recycled-content options may not be as great of an option for single-use products (they’ll end up sitting in landfill eventually because most materials can only take 1-2 trips around the recycling cycle before they’re of too low quality to be recycled again), they do have a better environmental footprint than virgin plastic products.
Another great sustainability goal is to conserve or optimize resource use within your business. This could have to do with raw materials used to produce product or electricity, water, and other resources needed to run a business. By reducing or making more efficient use of resources, you can not only save money, but help to protect the environment as well. If you do need to utilize electricity and other resources, try to get them from sustainable sources, or purchase sustainable energy credits to offset your energy usage. This helps move your business closer to being carbon-neutral, as well as allows you to better allocate the resources you do use across a wider range of your business.
Finally, we have the realistic piece of sustainability goals: making sure they actually can be achieved and work in practice. If you implement industrially compostable products into your single-use product lines but there is no composter in your area or no collection system in place, then you’re not really making a whole lot of difference. However, if you help your community to implement a compost collection system for its residents, then you have completed the circular lifecycle for the compostable products. For recyclables, make sure that there is an available recycling system for that particular type of plastic in your area before implementing a recyclable product. It’s key for businesses to complete the loop and provide customers with proper end-of-life solutions for your products so they can be recycled or composted in practice and not just in theory.
There are an infinite number of sustainability goals you can set for 2021. Zero waste goals, energy conservation goals, packaging sustainability goals–the possibilities are truly endless. In this time of COVID, plastic pollution has become a widespread issue. And it’s a key issue to address in the new year. At UrthPact, our goal is to help our customers to achieve their sustainability goals by implementing our compostable single-use product lines, as well as educating our network on compostable bioplastics, certifications, and other subjects relating to the plastic pollution solution. Straws, single-use cutlery, and coffee packaging products are our three main areas of focus, and our goal is to keep 25 billion pieces of plastic from reaching oceans and landfills. The future is a sustainable one, and we’re here to help bring it to fruition.
If you’re looking to get in touch with us about getting UrthPact compostables into your business, head over to one of our handy contact forms from our website (straws, cutlery, or coffee packaging), or our general contact us form.
Dec 16, 2020
2021 is going to be a year of sustainability. Besides being, well–a new year–there was a huge spike in plastic pollution in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. And that brought plastic pollution back to the forefront of everyone’s minds. Businesses are looking for opportunities to make changes, and to eliminate as much plastic from their operations as possible. Compostables are a great alternative in the space of single-use plastics, however it can be quite confusing to navigate the world of green marketing. While there are some federal restrictions and guidelines when it comes to preventing greenwashing, many states also have individual regulations, and specific cities can have even more restrictions as well. We’re here to assist you in understanding the green marketing process, and also to help eliminate discouragement about utilizing and providing compostable products just because their marketing is a bit more complicated.
Our first tip: avoid vague phrases like “eco-friendly,” “greener than before,” and other similar phrases. These types of phrases can be misleading because they don’t convey to the consumer the exact environmental benefit that the product provides. In the case of green marketing, the more specific you can be in your claims, the better. This will encourage consumers to trust your brand because you are up front about your product, and it protects you from legal action that may be taken against you. Tip number 2 is to always be able to back up claims with scientific evidence. Whenever you make an environmental claim of any sort, have the test reports to back up that claim. While you don’t have to list out results on the packaging, it’s important to have them on-hand should a consumer or customer request them. Tip number 3 completes the trifecta: always have compostable products certified by the proper certifying body, and convey those certifications prominently on packaging. By completing and displaying your certifications from organizations like BPI and TUV, you are confirming that you have backup from multiple sources for your claims.
Besides this trifecta of steps you can take to backup your claims and protect your business, and mitigate risk for your customers, there are some general phrases you can use that can be helpful to your customer. For a home compostable product, you have the most freedom. Phrases like, “backyard compostable” and “biodegradable in any terrestrial environment” can safely be applied to home compostable products. As always, we recommend obtaining a TUV OK compost HOME certification to be sure you have the proper backing to your claims. For industrially compostable products, it’s important to be clear about the difference between home and industrially compostable. Phrases such as “compostable in municipal facilities” or “compostable under specialized and controlled conditions” make it clear to the consumer the importance of proper disposal for industrial compostable products. Most industrially compostable products also include disclaimers encouraging consumers to ensure that there is an industrial composting facility in their area as well. As always, get the product certified by either TUV’s OK compost INDUSTRIAL or BPI in order to ensure you have backed your claims.
The last note we want to make is on marine biodegradable claims. Newly developed bioplastic materials can be certified for biodegradation in a marine environment by TUV’s OK biodegradable MARINE. However, to avoid having consumers toss trash in the ocean, this certification cannot be conveyed on products that are not meant for use in a marine environment (for example, drinking straws). To work within the rules, you can state that these types of products are “made from a certified marine degradable material” or that they “will biodegrade in oceans, should they accidentally end up there.”
Green marketing is a complex and tricky world. You want to properly convey the environmental benefits of your product to your customers without being misleading and while protecting your intellectual property. There is a fine line you have to walk. But, by making specific and clear claims that are backed by scientific reports and third-party certifications, you can protect your business, your customer, and most importantly, the planet.
Dec 3, 2020
Sustainability. Something that’s been on the minds of many companies, businesses, and organizations, especially in recent years. Many have even set 5- and 10-year goals to reduce energy consumption or to make their packaging completely environmentally-friendly. And while setting goals is the first step towards a healthier planet and sustainable business, it’s achieving those goals that some companies struggle with. You can find environmental problems in nearly every nook and cranny of the business model, especially in industries like restaurants, manufacturing, and energy. If you’re struggling with goals you’ve set, or you don’t know what type of goals you should be setting but want to be more environmentally friendly, then UrthPact is here to help.
Sustainability goals vary by industry. Many are focused on energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, or packaging solutions. Setting your sustainability goals is a team-wide effort. And, even a small goal can make a big difference over a long period of time. If you exceed your goal early, you can always reset it even higher! You can break down corporate sustainability initiatives into six areas: pollution prevention, resource conservation, zero waste to landfill, waste reduction/minimization, zero discharge, and reduce carbon footprint/zero emissions.
Let’s start with pollution prevention categorized goals. Pollution can occur in a variety of different environmental areas, including air, water, soil, and others as well. These types of sustainability goals aim to eliminate waste at the source. Things like reducing carbon emissions and waste reduction fall under this broader umbrella of pollution prevention. These goals can be achieved in a few different ways. Choosing less toxic materials in the manufacturing sector, or modifying production processes to emit less waste and emissions are great ways to reduce greenhouse gases or physical polluting waste. Along similar lines, conservation techniques can be implemented in parallel with eliminating waste. The classic reduce, reuse, and recycle method also applies here for physical components like packaging and supplies as well.
Next, we have resource conservation goals. Many organizations look to reduce water, electricity or energy, and raw materials. Simple things like optimizing water efficiency and utilizing automatic shut-off lights and energy-efficient bulbs can be easy changes that make a big difference. Innovation in production can also help to reduce scrap material as well, or to reuse it in new products. A great example of resource conservation comes from Bosch, who has a 6-pronged set of sustainability goals that cover a wide variety of fields, including energy, climate, health, globalization, water, and urbanization.
Zero waste to landfill. This goal is a lofty one and looks to eliminate ALL of an organization’s waste that would normally be taken to landfill. This is a specific component of a zero-waste goal, not the equivalent overall of zero waste. Zero waste to landfill indicates that absolutely no manufacturing waste is headed for landfills. Some companies try to cheat this type of goal by incinerating their waste, but this usually creates ash that then must be landfilled. A variety of cities in the US have zero waste goals, including New York, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Washington state, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, and Austin. Even large food and beverage organizations like Nestle have committed to reaching 100% zero waste by 2030.
The next area of sustainability goals is waste minimization and waste reduction. These are the stepping stones towards implementing a zero waste to landfill goal. Essentially, if zero waste is too lofty a goal, or would take a very long time to achieve that it’s not a realistic goal to set, this is the next best thing. And, after achieving waste reduction and minimization, goals for zero waste can be set for the future. Some methods include source material reduction, or utilizing environmentally-sound recycling methods for materials, energy, and other resources. Amcor has committed to making 100% of their packaging either recyclable or reusable by 2025, and to utilizing more recycled materials as well.
Moving forward, we have zero discharge sustainability goals. This means to eliminate discharge pollutants from a point source (like a manufacturing or processing plant), especially into local waterways. Some organizations go for total discharge elimination, while some focus on specific (and usually more toxic) pollutants. These goals also require organizations to be good water stewards, in which the company is aware of and understands their water usage and water governance in their areas. One of the most common methodologies is to recycle industrial wastewater by treating it and transferring pollutants to a solid waste sludge. Levi Strauss & Co works to preserve fresh water for drinking and other uses through water recycling.
Finally, we have zero emissions goals. This is your classic reduction of the carbon dioxide emissions goal. Using energy-efficient machinery, as well as EPA tracking systems that will help measure and regulate carbon emissions are some of the simplest methodologies to reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Investing in renewable energy and utilizing electric or fuel-efficient fleet vehicles are also great ways to reduce emissions. Some great real-world examples are GM working towards a zero-emissions future and Ball Corp looking to cut the carbon footprint of their beverage cans by 25%.
So how can UrthPact play into all of these sustainability goals? We believe in creating a world where consumption leaves no footprint, and therefore everything we do is to create a more sustainable world. Our main focus is on the plastic pollution problem. Single-use plastics are one of the biggest pollutants in today’s world, and our goal is to eliminate 25 billion plastic pieces from oceans and landfills by 2028. We focus on three main product lines to help companies reduce their amount of plastic usage: coffee packaging (pods and valves), single-use cutlery, and single-use straws.
All of our products are made from compostable bioplastic or recycled-content materials. Our coffee packaging and cutlery are currently made from an industrially compostable bioplastic called PLA. Products made from PLA have a completely circular lifecycle, meaning they allow you to have pollution prevention, lowered emissions, and conserve natural resources. Industrially compostable products fit into sustainability goals surrounding packaging. These types of goals usually require that all packaging be reusable, compostable, or recyclable (in practice). While compostables are difficult to implement in a variety of applications, single-use products are the perfect niche for this type of product. As long as you manage waste and ensure there is a practicing composter in your area, this type of product is the perfect solution.
Our straws are the special exception. While our cutlery and coffee packaging are industrially compostable our straws are home compostable, meaning that they can break down anywhere on Earth in under a year. By partnering with us on straws (we do white-label and private-label solutions), you can eliminate a huge piece of the single-use problem within your business. It allows you to reduce waste, and the straws can be easily disposed of with compostable food waste. And should they end up in landfills, they will still biodegrade completely to innocuous elements in under a year. So while there is still waste to landfill, that waste will not sit in the landfill for hundreds of years like its plastic counterparts would. And that’s the difference. On top of all that, our straws are also marine-degradable, meaning they’ll completely biodegrade in the ocean, should they accidentally get there. This makes our straws the best of every world. Plus, we guarantee customer satisfaction. All the functionality you’d expect from plastic with none of the environmental guilt.
Compostables are a niche product. But they cover more areas of sustainability than you may think. For example, because compostable bioplastics are made from cornstarch, sugar cane, or canola, they actually pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. On the other hand, traditional plastics release carbon dioxide that was sequestered away for millions of years. Overall, compostables pull carbon while petro-based adds carbon. Differences like these allow compostables to cover a variety of sustainability initiatives within your business.
So, to sum it all up: UrthPact compostables provide a great opportunity to help achieve your sustainability goals, especially when those goals are centered around waste and packaging. We encourage any organization to set some kind of sustainability goal, even if it’s a small one. If everyone just takes one small step forward in the field of sustainability, we can end up taking a giant leap as a society. The planet is depending on us to protect it; it’s time we stepped up.
