There's No Bad Option , Just Better Options.
Let's deal with the biggest issue our customers tell us about , how to dispose of our products for the maximum environmental gain.
As the caption mentions , there is no bad way to dispose of our products, as all of our compostable products are made from plants, so whether your Council doesn't dispose of them the correct way and chooses to send them to landfill or for incineration, there is no toxic downside as all they are really doing is burying or burning plants.
We have tried to make disposal simple as each product has a disposal tab and if you click on this tab it will tell you about how to dispose of the product for the best environmental outcome but here is a simple guide to help.
| Industrial Composting (IC) | Home Composting (HC) | Recycling (R) | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper Hot Cups |
Our hot cups are lined with CPLA to keep them at the perfect temperature for longer so they should always be industrial composted. | Our hot cups have CPLA which does slow down the decomposition compared to the high heat of IC, so they will break down but the times vary based on the health of the composter. | It is possible to recycle these cups using centrifugal seperation but not every country has the facilities in place, so currently we don't recommend recycling for this product. |
|
|
Our paper cold cups aren't lined with CPLA so they can be easily composted |
Our paper cold cups aren't lined with CPLA so they can be easily home composted but their decompostion times still vary based on the health of the composter. | There is absolutely no reason they can't be recycled as they are made from cardboard, however your waste collection company may still not recycle them unless you let them know they are paper based. |
|
PLA Cold Cups, pots & containers. |
Our PLA cups are made from corn based materials so they are designed for IC. | Our PLA cups, pots & containers are made from corn based materials which needs a very high composter heat to decompose correctly, so they can be home composted but it may take a very long time to break down, so this is not | Currently some countries are doing test recycling but this is not universally done, so we do not recommend recycling at this time. |
|
Paper based bags & boxes ( no window) |
These products are ideal for IC. | These products are ideal for HC and should break down in a healthy composter in about 13 weeks. |
These products are ideal for recycling if not spoiled and in some areas even if they are spoiled. Check with your waste collection company first. |
|
Paper based bags ( with a window) |
Our bags with a window have now been changed to a natureflex window so the can be easily IC. | Our bags with a window have now been changed to a natureflex window so they are certified as home compostable. | Our bags with a window are 100% recyclable in some areas ( Not UK) but are 100% recyclable if the window is removed worldwide. |
|
Bagasse containers & boxes |
Our bagasse containers are made from sugar cane so they are designed for IC. | Our bagasse containers are made from sugar cane which can be home composted but do take longer in a home composter. | They are made from fibre so they can be recycled, however no country we are aware of is currently recycling bagasse, so this is not recommended. |
There are multiple ways your Council or Waste Collection company may deal with your waste.
The Worst Option - Landfill
This is our least favourite option but it's important to make you aware a few things about landfills.- This option is becoming a very rare way for Councils / waste collection companies to deal with it's waste as it's costly, contravenes waste policies of the devolved and British Government, so it's unlikely this is what your Council / Collection Company take your waste to landfill, our products will still improve the soil structure and not contaminate the land.
- Our compostable packaging is still better for the environment than plastic packaging and actually improves the soil structure.
- Some Councils and Waste Collection Companies collect the methane from landfills and use it as a source of power / electricity generations so there is some potential benefits from effective landfill disposal.
The Not So Great Option - Incineration
This is becoming a common way of disposing of non-recyclable products and although we prefer this to landfill , we would prefer that our products weren't disposed of in this way, but should this be the way your Council / Waste Collection dispose of waste it's worth noting the following.- There is no contamination to the surrounding soil or air should our products be disposed of this way.
- Your Council / Collection company may generate electricity from disposing in this way, which has environmental benefits.
The Best Home Option - Home Composting
This is a great way to dispose of our products as they are made from plants and can be used to grow plants, it's completely circular and it's great for the planet, a few things to be aware of when home composting.- Our products are designed for commercial food waste disposal but they are great for home composting, but please note that our products can take anywhere between 13 to 44 weeks to break down in home composting depending on the conditions of your composter , the healthier the compost , the quicker it breaks down.
- Composting our products can be used as a way of reducing flooding as they typically hold 2 and a half times more water than normal soil structure.
- You are probably already having your food waste collected by your local Council but it varies on whether your Council will accept plant based packaging ( each Council has it's own waste policy) , if your Council won't collect them , contact your local Councillor and ask why.
- Most local Councils offer discounts composters, if they don't ask them why..
- Most compost in the UK is from peat bogs which does huge environmental damage so using our products as a peat bog compost replacement offer far bigger environmental benefit (find out more here).
The Best Business Options - Business Composting
As a business customer you really do have the most options and the potential to make the most environmental benefits.
- Our products are designed for commercial food waste disposal and are certified and tested to break down in 13 weeks into Earth Friendly Compost
- Composting our products can be used as a way of reducing flooding as they typically hold 2 and a half times more water than normal soil structure.
- How to dispose of our products all depends on what you and your customers do with them but you have the choice of composting onsite, advising your customers to dispose of in their composters or having them commercially composted.
- Most compost in the UK is from peat bogs which does huge environmental damage so using our products as a peat compost replacement offers a far bigger environmental benefit (find out more here).
I Own a Business How Do I Get My Food Waste Collected?
If you're a business and you don't have your food waste collected , then getting it picked up and composting is as easy as clicking a link, as the following companies will provide you with a no obligation quote which should save your business money and improve your businesses carbon footprint.
We would also recommend encouraging your customers to return the items to you and using the companies below as they actually not only waste them , they turn them into nutrient rich compost.
Get a quote from Suez
Get a quote from First Mile
The legal bit
Sorry but we really should add The Pure Option™ is not connected with these companies, we offer no guarantees of their services , we are only mentioning them as they both have great feedback as to what they do and how they do it.