How long do biodegradable spoons last?

Plastic utensils are increasingly recognized for their harmful environmental impact. As a result, a range of sustainable biodegradable tableware options have emerged. Among these, biodegradable and compostable utensils stand out. However, not all are created equal. Here's what you need to know to choose truly eco-friendly options.

With an astonishing 40 billion plastic utensils ending up in landfills every year, a sustainable alternative is crucial. Biodegradable utensils and compostable cutlery have become the eco-friendly choices. However, their eco-benefits depend on their composition and production methods.

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Compostable Vs. Biodegradable Tableware

Though often used interchangeably, 'compostable' and 'biodegradable' have distinct meanings.

Biodegradable utensils decompose in natural environments over time. This term is loosely regulated, and such utensils can take 5-10 years or more to break down. Unfortunately, there's no guarantee that these will turn into environmentally safe forms. Sometimes, even plastic gets marketed as biodegradable. Therefore, it's best to look for utensils certified as compostable.

Compostable utensils are made from materials that break down in backyard composting environments or commercial compost facilities. They undergo third-party testing for certification, ensuring they turn into healthy soil within a specific timeframe. Most commercial compost facilities require items to degrade within 80 days; at-home composting can take up to two years.

Certification proves compostable utensils decompose quickly, making them a more environmentally sound choice. The environment where they are certified to decompose and their materials are key factors for their true eco-benefit.

Materials Matter

We know plastic is harmful, but what alternatives are better? The materials used in eco cutlery and compostable utensils largely determine their environmental impact.

What Are Compostable Utensils Made Of?

Commonly, compostable utensils are made from bamboo or sugarcane. Each type has unique environmental impacts and compostability.

Bamboo Cutlery

Bamboo utensils are among the most eco-friendly choices for disposable cutlery. Sourced from 100% bamboo, these utensils come from a rapidly renewable resource. Bamboo grows faster than wood and can be harvested without killing the plant. It is naturally pest-resistant and often grown without pesticides. Bamboo utensils can also be produced without harmful chemicals.

Performance-wise, bamboo is the strongest woody plant on Earth, making it highly durable. Its short fibers prevent bending, ensuring robust usage.

Sugarcane

Sugarcane utensils are derived from the leftover stalks of the sugarcane plant. However, sugarcane cultivation is water-intensive and often requires land clear-cutting, impacting soil health and potentially causing erosion. Moreover, it is not pest-resistant, necessitating heavy chemical pesticide use.

In terms of functionality, sugarcane utensils can bend easily under use. They are somewhat heat-resistant but may weaken when in contact with hot foods.

Are Compostable Utensils Actually Compostable?

Certified compostable utensils do break down, but only in the right environment. Common options like sugarcane utensils are only compostable in commercial facilities. If placed in a home compost bin, they may not decompose. Additionally, compostable utensils are not recyclable and can take decades to break down in a landfill.

For compostable utensils to be effective, proper disposal is essential. Understanding whether they are commercially or backyard compostable is crucial. Here’s how you can determine if your utensils are genuinely compostable:

How Do You Know If Utensils Are Compostable?

Reliable compostable utensils bear certifications like BPI (Biodegradable Product Institute) and CMA (Compost Manufacturing Alliance). Without third-party certification, it’s challenging to verify their compostability.

Even with certification, verify whether your tableware is commercially or backyard compostable. If labeled "commercially compostable only," they will not break down in backyard compost bins and can persist in landfills for years.

So, What Are the Best Compostable Utensils?

The top choice for most is bamboo utensils. Bamboo is a renewable natural resource, ensuring low-impact production. These utensils are strong, heat-resistant, and water-resistant.

Many bamboo utensils are compostable in both backyard and commercial facilities. Given that many Americans lack access to commercial composting, bamboo ensures more compostable utensils are properly disposed of.

Bamboo utensils are also easily distinguishable from plastic due to their woody appearance, reducing the chances of recycling contamination and increasing the likelihood of proper composting.

Although biodegradable tableware can sometimes be a result of greenwashing, properly disposed compostable bamboo utensils offer a genuinely eco-friendly alternative. They provide a zero-waste solution for on-the-go eating when disposed of correctly.

Say goodbye to plastic and hello to bamboo! Shop CMA-certified compostable bamboo utensils and plates.

Is Compostable Cutlery Really Breaking Down?

The market for disposable eating utensils is growing, featuring names like taterware or spudware, where forks and knives are made from potato starch instead of plastic. The environmental benefits, however, depend on how you dispose of them.

Judy Adams, shopping at Whole Foods in Sacramento, compares recycled plastic forks with corn starch forks.

“Compostable versus recyclable? What does that mean? Where does it say?” she wonders, reading the label on the compostable forks. “Our cutlery converts to soil, so you can place it in a composting pile. In a commercial composting system,” she reads. “Oh! What does that mean? You need a commercial composting system? Oops.”

Confused, Adams thinks she will toss the forks in the trash, assuming they will break down in a landfill, but that often isn’t the case.

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Worldcentric, headquartered in Petaluma, CA, makes these products. Marketing Director Annie Davis highlights the company’s certified compostable offerings, from ice cream cups to straws, produced in Asia.

Despite the $30 million business size, she reads a disclaimer: “Compostable in industrial facilities. Not suitable for backyard composting.”

Davis stresses that many communities lack industrial facilities, limiting the proper disposal of compostable products. The nearest proper bio-plastics facility is an hour away in Vacaville, CA, while a closer facility, the Redwood Landfill and Recycling Center, only accepts yard waste, food scraps, and paper products.

“Thin items like bio-bags break down readily,” says Alisha McCutheon, who runs the Novato facility. “But things like potato cutlery almost don’t break down at all.”

Pointing to a debris pile containing a compostable spoon, McCutheon notes these items will now be trashed.

This reality is concerning for the environment. Joe Greene, a mechanical engineering professor at Chico State University, emphasizes that improperly disposed bio-plastics produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Greene explains that certified compostable items need suitable facilities to break down properly. “They will biodegrade in a hot industrial compost, but not necessarily in backyard compost bins,” he says.

Greene’s backyard compost tests revealed only 30% breakdown of compostable spoons after two years. He notes a decade-old biodegradable plastic bag remains intact.

The takeaway? Both compostable products and compost facilities vary widely. Before purchasing eco-friendly plastic, Greene advises researching the product and knowing where it will be discarded.

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