A Guide to Eco Terminology
Recyclable
Everyone likes the word ‘recyclable’ but in reality, conventional foodservice packaging can’t be recycled.
Kept separate, dry card or paper can be recycled. So can plastic water bottles or metal drink cans. But used catering disposables are a mix of card, plastic and food, so food contamination is inevitable. This combination creates massive recycling challenges, so the result is often incineration or landfill.
With compostable disposables, food isn’t contamination; it’s a vital ingredient in the composting process.
Biodegradable
Biodegradable means something breaks down naturally, but it can take years. Biodegradable tells us nothing about timescales – for example, wood is biodegradable, but a log cabin can stand for generations.
When it comes to biodegradable, there is no guarantee it will break down in commercial composting.
Compostable = biodegradable, in under 12 weeks!
Compostable means something can break down in less than 12 weeks, and is therefore suitable for commercial composting together with food waste.
Commercial composting creates the perfect balance of microbes, moisture and warmth. So instead of being buried or burnt, your compostable catering ‘waste’ creates nutrient-rich compost that helps plants thrive.
Please contact the office for further details of our range
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