Compostable, Biodegradable Plates Perfect for Cake!

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Disposable, compostable & biodegradable  plates made from 100% sugarcane fiber remaining after extraction of juice from the sugarcane.  Sugarcane is not only a readily renewable resource, but the sugarcane fiber can be turned into products normally made from plastic or paper and avoids the pollution from normal burning of sugarcane pulp after juice extraction.   These biodegradable plates are soak proof, have no plastic or wax lining applied to it and can be used for both hot and cold items.   Please note, that though these compostable plates are soak proof, hot items will cause the plates to "perspire" and some condensation will form at the bottom of the plates.   A far superior alternative to styrofoam & plastic  (non-biodegradable, petroleum derived, pollution causing) and as well as paper plates made from cutting down trees.  

We now have "unbleached" sugar cane plates available - in natural light brown color.  Bleaching is usually not necessary, is pollution causing and is mostly done using chlorine or chlorine compounds, which release "dioxins" - persistent organic pollutants which do not break down easily and accumulate in the food stream.    We are slowly moving towards only carrying "unbleached" serving ware, as they become available to us.

Please note, composting is required for biodegradation and these compostable plates will  biodegrade within 30 days in a commercial composting facility, and within 90 days in a home composting system.

• 6" Ripple Edge Plates AVAILABLE

  Weight: 7 gr. each

• Available in 50 count
• Price break for 1000 count, or 20 units of 50 count
• Additional shipping required for case quantities
  

Please Contact Us for More Information:

512-326-4474 phone

512-326-4496 fax

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.