We just reached the one month mark of this quarantine to help slow the spread of the pandemic that has threatened millions of people worldwide. Humans as a species have withdrawn into our homes, and planet Earth has taken advantage of our absence. Waterways are cleaner, the ozone is healing, and a variety of animals have returned to lands they used to inhabit. And while this is incredible, we have to take a realistic view of the future. We can’t stay inside forever, and the planet also can’t take our abuse forever. We need to find a way of life that’s safe for us and safe for the Earth. One of the biggest factors in our suffering planet is plastic pollution. Single-use products litter nearly every natural surface on Earth. So how do we balance single-use convenience with something healthy for the planet? Easy: compost.
Compostable bioplastics are an emerging industry that is the true solution to the plastic noose that is strangling our planet. And not only are they healthy for the planet, they’re healthy for people too. The production process for traditional plastics releases a wide range of unhealthy chemicals into the atmosphere. However, PLA (polylactic acid) and PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) — the two most common bioplastics — are both naturally occurring. PLA is plant-based, while PHA occurs naturally in a variety of microorganisms. Therefore, making single-use products from these bioplastics has no negative effect on the environment. And when they reach their disposal, they compost and feed the Earth rather than polluting it and poisoning it.
At UrthPact, our goal is to create a world where consumption leaves no footprint. By engineering private-label single-use products from compostable materials, we are able to provide the convenience that customers expect with none of the environmental guilt or harm to the planet. However, good for the planet wasn’t enough for us. We also wanted to be sure that our products were safe for your customers. So, we made sure all of our manufacturing facilities were Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified, and our American-Made products are always of the highest-quality.
The planet is depending on us. But your customers are depending on you too. There has to be a solution that satisfies both sides. We’re here to tell you that there is. And we’ve found it. Switching to compostable products, like those made at UrthPact, are the key to saving our planet from plastic. As we celebrate Earth Day this week, we want to encourage you to do something to help the Earth. Whether it’s watering the plants on your front porch, swapping to compostable coffee pods from Cameron’s Coffee or San Francisco Bay Coffee, or vowing to start composting in your home, each and every one of us has the ability to change the world. So let’s make Earth Day Earth Week. Or maybe Earth Month? Or better yet, Earth Quarantine. With all of this time on our hands, we have a unique opportunity to change the world. Let’s take advantage of it.
Have you ever dropped a piece of food on the floor, yelled “FIVE SECOND RULE!” picked it up, and ate it off the floor? Let’s admit, we all have. And while that’s a fine attitude to have in your own kitchen, it’s not an attitude you want to see in facilities where food and food packaging are being manufactured and handled. This week, we turned the spotlight on health and food safety regulations in America versus those in overseas facilities.
First and foremost: American facilities are better certified for food safety. The Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification is internationally recognized, and one of the strictest and most stringent standards worldwide for food safety. And while it’s an extra overseas, it’s the standard domestically. It guarantees an emphasis on food-safety on the part of the manufacturer and their suppliers, as well as promises consistent, high-quality products. Brands and buyers take on less risk in partnering with SQF certified manufacturers, as they can rest assured knowing that food safety and quality are their top priorities. SQF even outranks the ISO 1900’s of the world.
Now, what about overseas? What type of regulations for safety (both food and employee) are in place, and how well are they enforced? Well, that’s the big problem. While nations like China have greatly improved their food safety measures over the last five years (including implementing SQF certifications at a handful of locations), their food processing and production industry is so large and widespread that these new regulations aren’t being enforced. And the proof is in the numbers. There are more than five times as many work-related deaths per day in China than in the US1,2. The US is ranked #3 in the world for food-safety, behind only Singapore and Ireland, while China ranks #35 and India even lower at #723. Why haven’t we stopped purchasing from overseas when clearly, the US is safer and healthier?
In the current state of the world, food safety certifications are more important than ever. And as manufacturers continue to work day and night to produce the products we need to go about our everyday lives, plants throughout the country are implementing a huge range of safety and health measures to protect their employees. At UrthPact, all of our office staff are working from home, and our committed operators, technicians and engineers take every possible precaution while at work, from frequent hand washing and hairnets (nothing new for us under SQF regulations) to masks, gloves, and distancing. We want to recognize all of our staff, as well as manufacturing employees nationwide who put themselves at risk so the rest of us can self-quarantine.
To sum it all up: you’ll be safer purchasing an American-made product than one produced overseas. This applies to food safety, as well as employee safety. So take some time out of your day to thank a manufacturing employee. To acknowledge the people that molded your coffee pods (check two of our incredible partners, Cameron’s Coffee and San Francisco Bay Coffee on Amazon!), packaged your Oreos, or made your to-go container. We are all in this together, we’ll get through this, and THANK YOU.
Jobs. Something that’s been on everyone’s mind a lot lately. Many are lucky to be able to work remotely, or work for companies that have the ability to guarantee their job until this is all over. However, that’s not the case for a growing portion of the American workforce. This week, UrthPact has been highlighting why manufacturing on American soil is a better option than overseas manufacturing. By sourcing products made in the USA, you are bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US, providing a wide variety of work opportunities to American citizens, and providing your customers with higher-quality, food-safe products.
Jobs began being moved overseas back in the early 90’s and 2000’s. Why? The lower cost of labor allows Asia to make products cheaper. Lower standards of employee support internationally mean that other countries only pay their employees 1/10 of what Americans are paid. As a result, millions of Americans lost manufacturing jobs during this time period. But what have we given up? The availability of critical materials and supplies when demand spikes. The quality of our products. Safe working conditions for employees. Shorter timelines. Successful communication and streamlined development processes. By choosing American-made products, you bring manufacturing jobs back to America, and reap the many benefits of the American workforce.
These benefits elevate and support your company and the US workforce in many ways. Costs of maintaining inventory and shipping are much lower domestically. US facilities and working conditions are certified food-safe and produce products that are approved by the FDA. American prices are competitive with those from overseas manufacturers. And those are just the material things. Due to automation and infrastructure advancements, American manufacturers provide jobs of a much higher quality than those overseas. In 2015, Forbes published an article stating that American workers produce ten to twelve times more output than someone overseas. USA-based manufacturing helps to advance skill sets and encourage ingenuity. As much as American manufacturers benefit from the American workforce, the workforce benefits from the provided opportunities as well.
So why does all of this matter? Because jobs and careers are the backbone of the American economy. And right now, the stress on the economy is on everyone’s minds. Bringing jobs back to American soil will not only benefit the American people and American businesses, but the American economy as a whole. So next time you are deciding whether to purchase a product made in America or made overseas – consider how much better of a product you get when choosing American-made. Consider how much better of an environment it was manufactured in. And most importantly, remember that choosing American-made products not only benefits your company, but America as a nation as well.
Today, brands are searching for ways to stand out from the crowd. At the same time, consumers are shopping as much with their conscience as they are with their cash. Brands that can help support causes such as environmental protection can not only attract and retain new businesses; they can also make a difference at the same time. One way that companies can take a leading role and differentiate themselves from the competition is by adopting home-compostable and marine-degradable straws.
Eight million tons of plastic waste flows into oceans annually. One piece of waste that has garnered a lot of media attention is plastic straws. Straws are a huge business in the United States, with an estimated 500 million used daily. Along with plastic bags, plastic straws have become a co-star in a movement of daily things the public can do to help the environment. In some locations, this movement has led to greatly reduced usage and even legal bans on single-use products.
As consumers look to reduce their impact on the planet, they are exploring alternatives to traditional plastic straws including paper, metal, avocado, bamboo, and everything in between. But each of those has its own issues. Paper can get mushy quickly frustrating consumers. Metal straws can alter the taste of the drink and are difficult to clean, and so on. Despite these more traditional alternatives making inroads, many are still searching for something Earth-friendly and consumer-friendly for brands to offer their current customers and attract new ones.
There are innovative alternatives coming to light in home-compostable and marine-degradable bioplastics, that will fill the need of both brands and consumers. These materials maintain the properties of plastic straws but will biodegrade completely in less than a year.
So, what exactly are home-compostable and marine-degradable bioplastic straws? While the science can be a bit daunting, here is a breakdown of how it happens and how it can help the Earth, and your brand.
By Land
Home composting of organic matter such as food and yard waste is familiar to many consumers, especially the growing numbers that are living a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. Compostable bioplastics, in particular, are taking hold and attracting consumers, as they take the planet into consideration while delivering the convenience and consistency of traditional plastics.
Bioplastic products claiming home compostability will completely biodegrade in under a year in any compost environment, whether it’s backyard or industrial. Any product that is compostable should have a stamp of approval from the most widely used international standard called AS 5810 —which defines test methods— paired with TUV’s OK compost HOME, which defines criteria. In a nutshell, [which is compostable too, although slower than many other organic materials] to pass the rigorous and gold-standard certification, the entire two-step process of physical and chemical breakdown needs to be completed in 12 months. The entire process also must occur without negatively affecting plant germination, growth, or earthworms in the ecosystem. Comparably, traditional plastics can take up to 1,000 years to degrade. This process simply breaks them down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics, never actually completely degrading, so they continue to impact the ecosystem for a Millenium.
By Sea
Composting works on land. But what about the oceans, where in recent years awareness of plastic waste from straws and other commonly used on-the go-products has skyrocketed, due to its negative impact on marine life? Marine-degradable bioplastics are an up-and-coming technology that will soon be making waves around the world. The certifications for marine degradability are again two-fold: an international standard ASTM D6691 defines testing methods, while TUV’s OK biodegradable MARINE defines criteria. In order to earn their stamps of approval, a material must disintegrate into pieces smaller than 2mm in just 3 months. Unlike a traditional plastic straw that can float in the ocean for centuries, a marine-degradable straw is no longer a threat to marine life a mere 84 days after accidentally entering the ocean. And complete biodegradation to CO2 and biomass takes only 6 months.
Beyond just the physical product itself, it is required that the degradation process has absolutely no impact on at least 90% of test organisms, so there is little to no accidental harm on the ecosystem. In comparison, traditional plastics only break into microplastics, which make up 85% of the plastic waste in our oceans and on our beaches and leach antioxidants, flame retardants, and antimicrobial agents into the oceans, which can also be extremely harmful if ingested by marine life.
Riding the Wave
Home compost in one year vs. microplastics in 1,000 years. Marine degradation in six months vs. microplastics in 500 years. Consumers are searching for these alternatives to avoid stuffing landfills with traditional plastic products. Select companies are already working to bring home-compostable and marine-degradable straws to market in early 2020. And they’re ahead of the curve. The bans on single-use plastics in different areas worldwide have started, and they’re not stopping anytime soon. Plus, there are more consumers looking to make a difference with or without governmental bans, and companies such as Starbucks are joining them in eliminating traditional plastic, single-use straws. This is also a growing and relatively untapped market that brands can capture by offering these eco-friendly straw alternatives.
Consumers are driving change. They are choosing products that won’t only serve their needs, but the Earth’s needs as well. Companies that can provide consumer-friendly and Earth-friendly products will stand out from the crowd while also doing their part to protect the planet.
Leominster, MA — The city of Leominster is known as the “Pioneer Plastics City.” But a shift is happening, and it starts with UrthPact.
“Plastic was invented to be used for Tupperware bowls that would be passed on for generations,” said UrthPact CEO Paul Boudreau. “The mistake we made was we used the same material for products we use for 10 minutes.”
Bio-plastics, or plant based plastics, are the future, he said. And at this local company, everything is compostable.
“The first product we took on was the single use coffee pod,” Boudreau said.
Now, the company produces water bottles, caps and even bio-plastic cutlery, as well as their newest product– the bio-plastic straw.
“If I put this in my backyard in a leaf pile or clippings, two weeks its gone,” Boudreau said of the company’s products.
It’s a straw that’s both good for the planet and good for the consumer, he said. Unlike paper straws, their product doesn’t fall apart, can be tossed after one use and is actually cheaper.
On the warehouse floor, they are pumping out product and can barely keep up with demand.
But they have a singular focus: consumption without leaving a footprint. Pioneering a new era of plastics inside the Pioneer Plastics City, they are changing the game by simply changing the material.
“The plastics pollution problem is solved with bio plastics,” Boudreau said.
There is not much competition in the bio-plastic field yet for UrthPact. Creating bio-plastics is not easy. It is time-consuming and costly. UrthPact hopes the lack of competition has given them a leg up in the field.
The products are only sold to distributors and companies at this point. Consumers will soon start to see their straws at ocean-front resorts and their cutlery at Whole Foods cafes.
