What is Biodegradable? A biodegradable product has the ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature.  Once biodegraded, this product would safely become part of the natural ecology of its environment.  

What is Compostable? Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process. The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) provides reliable third party certifications. The general standards to achieve compostability validations are: 1) 90% or greater degradation must occur within 45-120 days, and 2) no toxic residue remains in the final compost.

What is BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) Certified? BPI is the absolute standard in U.S. composting. BPI and the US Composting Council (USCC) use the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and their specifications to certify products as compostable.

What is PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) or Ingeo Plastic? Otherwise known as “Corn Plastic”, is the material used to make many compostable products. The basic idea is that any starch can be converted into a polymer with similar molecular traits to those derived from petrochemicals. That polymer can then be formed into pellets and made into a wide array of plastic products. The products look and feel like traditional plastics but they are produced with plastic manufactured from plants instead of petroleum. NatureWorks LLC is the company that uses field corn to create PLA. Corn plastic uses up to 68% less fossil fuels compared to traditional plastics.

If these products end up in a landfill, is there any benefit? PLA products are made from plants, which mean they are produced from a resource that is renewable. They also take less energy to produce and are responsible for less CO2 in the atmosphere. This means that, even if you do not have access to commercial composting, you are still making a difference by choosing PLA products.