Compostable, Biodegradable Eco-Plastic Cups for Cold Beverages

 Please call for availability if placing a large or urgent order.

All Sales Final.

These compostable cups (only for drinks below 110F) are made from NatureWorks polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from corn grown in the USA.   These compostable PLA cups are fully biodegradable and compostable and meet the most stringent scientific requirements for biodegradability and compostability, and are ASTM D6400-99 certified for "compostable plastics".  Though, they are indistinguishable from normal plastic and as light and strong, they fully degrade into water, carbon dioxide and organic material when composted.  There is no reason not to use these compostable cups made from readily renewable resources as compared to the petroleum based plastic cups, which create toxicity and environmental pollution.   

 

Please note, composting is required for biodegradation and these compostable cups will biodegrade within 180 days in a commercial composting facility, and can take up to a year or more to biodegrade in a home composting system.

Biodegradable Cups for drinks below 110F

Please store below 110F away from heat, hot surfaces and direct sunlight.  

These biodegradable cups  have a "Bicompostable logo" and  "This cup is made from corn and is 100%  compostable" printed on them in green color on one side of the cup.  We do this to distinguish them from regular plastic cups and as well as to facilitate sorting them in municipal recycling/composting facilities for composting.

 

• Biodegradable 20oz Cold Cup
• Biodegradable Flat Lids with Straw Hole available by special order (more lead time) in 100 count
• Dome Lids with Straw Hole available by phone order only
• Comes in packs of 50 count
• Price break at 1000, or 20 units of 50 count

 

Please Contact Us for More Information:

512-326-4474 phone

512-326-4496 fax

eco@ecowise.com

Some Facts on Disposables

• 970 thousand tons of paper cups and plates were discarded in 2003 (EPA).  If, we approximate 15 grams weight for each cup or plate, we get  64 billion paper cups and plates being thrown away every year in USA.
• 730 thousand tons of styrofoam and plastic plates and cups (710 thousand tons were styrofoam) were disposed in 2003  (EPA).   Using 10 grams weight for each cup or plate, we get 73 billion mostly styrofoam cups and plates being thrown away every year in USA.
• According to EPA statistics, a total of 3,810  thousand tons of plastic containers & bottles were thrown away in 2003.  Using a generous number of 20 grams for each container, we get a number of 190 billion plastic containers & bottles being landfilled or incinerated every year.
• The above numbers do not include trash bags, grocery bags and other plastic materials like trays, utensils, clam shells, caps and other plastic packaging.   A total of 8000 thousand tons of these items were discarded in 2003.  

Why biocompostables?

Plastic and styrofoam disposables made from petroleum based chemicals & additives.  Petroleum is not only becoming an increasingly scarce resource, but it causes pollution and toxicity every step of its use - extraction, transportation (e.g. oil spills), refining and eventual production of the end use product.  In addition the end use products made of styrofoam and plastic do not degrade and persist in the environment for hundred of years, causing further pollution and toxicity.  

 

Paper disposables on the other hand are made from "virgin" wood fiber, which comes from our steadily depleting forests.  Forests provide invaluable ecosystem services in maintaining biodiversity, streams, regulating climate and rainfall etc. and it is quite amazing that even today forests are cut down to be made into disposable paper products with a lifetime use of few minutes or seconds. 

 

Biodegradable and compostable food service and packaging disposables provide a sustainable alternative to the styrofoam, plastic and paper products as they are made from readily renewable sources like sugarcane fiber, corn and potato, take less energy to manufacture, are not made from toxic or pollution causing sources and can be composted to reduce the amount of waste generated.   They can also help reduce waste collection bills in counties and cities, which have a food waste/green waste pickup.

 

Sugarcane fiber(bagasse) and Bioplastics - plastics made from corn, potato or other annually renewable sources are the two main sources of  biodegradable food service and packaging disposables.   Fiber waste remaining after extraction of the juice from the sugarcane  is molded at high pressure & temperature into plates, bowls, cups, take out containers, trays etc., while starch from corn, potato, tapioca, soybeans etc. is used to make products which are traditionally made from plastic and styrofoam such as disposable eating utensils, bags, cold cups, drinking straws, etc.

 

We like to point out that, though using biocompostables is a step towards better environmental sustainability, it is not a solution to our throw-away culture.   The use of biocompostables disposables does not  in any way discourage use or change the mind-set of using disposable products.   Furthermore, even biocompostables (specially bioplastics) may take a long time to biodegrade in landfills.   

 

We strongly advocate using non-disposable products as much as possible and hope that counties and cities will pass regulations to tax use of disposable products and as well as their disposal to limit their use and disposal.

Bioplastics are a new generation of biodegradable & compostable plastics, derived from renewable raw materials such as starch (e.g. corn, potato, tapioca etc), cellulose, soy protein, lactic acid etc., not hazardous in production and decompose back to carbon dioxide, water, biomass etc. in the environment when discarded.  Corn starch is currently the main raw material being used in the manufacture of bioplastic resins.  Mater-Bi  (main component corn-starch), and PolyActide (PLA) (made from corn-starch as well) are currently the 2 main resins (raw materials), being used today in the production of compostable & biodegradable plastics and are certified for compostability under standards set by international organizations.  However, other resins are coming into the market made from potato starch, soybean protein, cellulose etc.  Most of these are currently not certified for compostability, though some are for biodegradability.  The field of bioplastics is constantly evolving with new materials and technologies being worked on and being brought to market.  

 

Heat Resistance

Corn-starch based products (bags, corn cutlery, cold cups, drinking straws)  - 120 degrees F 

Potato and tapioca starch based products (potato cutlery) - 220 degrees F

 

Biodegradability & Compostability

Bioplastics can take different length of times to totally compost, based on the material and are meant to be composted in a commercial composting facility, where higher composting temperatures can be reached and is between 90-180 days.   Most existing international standards  require biodegradation of 60% within 180 days along with certain other criteria for the resin or product to be called compostable.   It is also important to make the distinction between degradable vs. biodegradable vs. compostable as often these terms are used interchangeably.  

 

Compostable Plastic is plastic which is "capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose). and leaves no toxic residue."  American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM).  In order for a plastic to be called compostable, three criteria need to be met:

1. Biodegrade - break down into carbon dioxide, water, biomass at the same rate as cellulose (paper).
2. Disintegrate - the material is indistinguishable in the compost, that it is not visible and needs to be screened out
3. Eco-toxicity - the biodegradation does not produce any toxic material and the compost can support plant growth.

Biodegradable Plastic is plastic which will degrade from the action of naturally occurring microorganism, such as bacteria,  fungi etc. over a period of time.  Note, that there is no requirement for leaving "no toxic residue", and as well as no requirement for the time it needs to take to biodegrade.

 

Degradable Plastic is plastic which will undergo a significant change in its chemical structure under specific environmental conditions resulting in a loss of some properties.  Please note that there is no requirement that the plastic has to be degrade from the action of "naturally occurring microorganism" or any of the other criteria required for compostable plastics.

A plastic therefore may be degradable but not biodegradable or it may be biodegradable but not compostable (that is, it breaks down too slowly to be called compostable or leaves toxic residue).  

 

Standards

There are currently few international organizations which have established standards and testing methods for compostability, namely:

• American Society for Testing and Materials    ASTM-6400-99
• European Standardization Committee (CEN)  EN13432
• International Standards Organization (ISO)   ISO14855 (only for biodegradation)
• German Institute for Standardization (DIN)  DIN V49000

 

The ASTM, CEN and DIN standards specify the criteria for biodegradation, disintegration and eco-toxicity for a plastic to be called compostable.   

• Biodegradability is determined by measuring the amount of CO2 produced over a certain time period by the biodegrading plastic.  ASTM, ISO and DIN standards require 60% biodegradation within 180 days.  The EN13432 standard requires 90% biodegradation within 90 days.
• Disintegration is measured by sieving the material to determine the biodegraded size and less than 10% should remain on a 2mm screen for most standards.
• Eco toxicity is measured by having concentrations of heavy metals below the limits set by the standards and by testing plant growth by mixing the compost with soil in different concentrations and comparing it with controlled compost.

In the USA, the BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certifies bioplastics under the ASTM

  ASTM-6400-99, standard for "compostable plastics" and awards their logo to products which pass this certification.