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What makes COB’s bioplastic better than conventional plastic?
Packaging made from conventional oil-based plastic can take hundreds of years to break down, and releases poisonous toxins into the environment as it does so. Some oil-based plastics are made degradable by including a special additive, but this just causes it to fragment into smaller pieces, which are also environmentally damaging.
Our bioplastic packaging is not just biodegradable but fully compostable – recycling nature’s way.
Is producing corn-based plastic easier on the environment?
Conventional plastic is made from fossil fuels. These are fast running out and in the meantime are one of the leading causes of global warming, not to mention global conflict! On the other hand our corn-derived biopolymer blends are made from a renewable resource that absorbs carbon dioxide as it grows.
Bioplastic derived from cornstarch takes 65% less energy to produce than conventional plastics and the process generates 68% less greenhouse gases and no toxic fumes or residue.
What’s the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
A biodegradable material breaks down naturally into its organic components when it’s exposed to moisture, heat and microorganisms, like bacteria, fungi and algae.
To be certified as compostable a material must be shown to biodegrade under commercial composting conditions within a specified timeframe, comparable to the rate raw plant material breaks down.
It must break down into water, carbon dioxide and organic matter, leaving no toxic residue that might harm plants, people or the environment.
Can you guarantee that your products are compostable?
Yes, all our corn-based bioplastic products conform to European standard EN 13432 – the most stringent composting standard in the world. This specifies that after 90 days in an industrial composting facility 90% of the material must have biodegraded, and the remaining particles must be no larger than 2mm.
Can I compost your packaging products in my domestic compost bin?
It certainly won’t do your compost any harm to add COB products to the mix. Eventually they will break down into water, carbon dioxide and plant-friendly biomass.
Having said that, we can’t make any guarantees on how long our products will take to break down in a domestic compost bin or heap. They’re unlikely to biodegrade as quickly as they would in a municipal or industrial composting facility, where the temperature and humidity are carefully controlled.
Is any of the corn that goes into your bioplastic genetically modified?
A small proportion of the corn used to produce our biopolymer blends may be genetically modified. However, following the polymerisation process, no trace of GM material will remain. In fact internationally recognised experts Eurofins GeneScan have certified that our biopolymers contain no genetic material at all.
Why should my business switch over to using COB packaging?
Using our packaging materials derived from corn and sustainably sourced paper instead of the conventional alternatives, made using oil-based plastic, will substantially reduce the environmental impact of your business.
Sending out your products in COB packaging is a great way to demonstrate to your customers that you care about the environment. As consumers and business buyers alike are becoming more concerned about the amount of plastic ending up in landfill sites, this is a perfect opportunity to stand out from the crowd.
In addition our recycled paper COBnuts offer superior protective properties compared to polystyrene chips.
I’ve received an item wrapped in COB packaging. What should I do with the packaging now?
We’d recommend hanging onto it and reusing it when an opportunity arises. When our bioplastic packaging has reached the end of its useful life it’s 100% compostable.
If you’re a business you can send compostable waste to a commercial composting facility. You can find out about facilities near you at www.letsrecycle.com/go/directory.
If you’re a private individual and your local council collects food waste for composting, you may be able to add it to that. Alternatively you could put it with the green waste to be collected or at your local tip. It’s probably a good idea to ask advice from your council’s waste or recycling officer first. You can find their details here.
Our products aren’t currently certified for home composting. If you make your own compost you can try adding our packaging to your compost heap or bin, but we can’t guarantee how long it will take to break down.
Can we put COB packaging out with our waste for recycling?
Our COBnuts are made from post consumer waste paper and card and are suitable for recycling.
However we wouldn’t recommend recycling our bioplastic packaging. Adding large amounts of bioplastic to conventional plastic to be recycled negatively affects the viability of the plastic produced. Most plastic recycling collections only take bottles and containers anyway, so our packaging wouldn’t be accepted.
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