Q: Why compostable products
Composting is breaking down organic material by bacteria, yeasts and fungi into healthy, fertile soil. Composting biodegradable plastic, along with other biodegradable waste, generates much-needed carbon-rich soil (humus) instead of filling up our valuable land with waste. Compost amended soil can have beneficial effects by increasing water & nutrient retention in soil, reducing chemical inputs, (toxins, pesticides, etc.) and suppressing plant diseases. Many communities have large-scale centralized collection of yard waste and compostable material.
Biodegradable and compostable products are made from organic, natural materials like corn, reed grass and bagasse (sugar cane). These products come from annually renewable resources and are sustainably manufactured, non-toxic while in use and decompose back into the soil.
Q: What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
Compostable Plastic is plastic which is “capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose). and leaves no toxic residue.” American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM).
In order for a plastic to be called compostable, three (3) criteria must be met:
- Biodegrade – break down into carbon dioxide, water and biomass at the same rate as cellulose (paper).
- Disintegrate – the material is indistinguishable in the compost, that it is not visible and needs to be screened out.
- No Eco-toxicity – the biodegradation does not produce any toxic material and the compost can support plant growth.
Biodegradable Plastic is plastic which will degrade from naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi etc. over a period of time. Note, that there is no requirement for leaving “no toxic residue”, and as well as no requirement for the time it needs to take to biodegrade.
Q: What’s wrong with plastic and Styrofoam?
Plastic and Styrofoam are non-biodegradable, petroleum derived, stay in the environment for hundred to thousands of years and leach toxic substances into the groundwater. Approximately 40 billion plastic utensils are used every year in the USA alone, together with billions of Styrofoam and plastic cups, plates etc. Biodegradable products can, therefore, reduce landfill mass by as much as 30%.
Q: How long do these take to break down
Biocompostable products do not decompose on their own. They must enter the composting process. This entails putting them into the soil with food, yard waste and other organic materials. Once the biocompostable product enters the compost system, it will decompose over a few months.
Decomposition time is dependent on two factors. One factor is the way in which biodegradable products are disposed of. Biodegradables are best disposed of in a commercial composting system, as commercial compost piles contain large amounts of moisture, are kept at a high heat and are aerated frequently. In commercial composting systems bioplastics are expected to degrade within 180 days. Within a home composting system, where high levels of heat cannot be reached and where aeration depends on how often the owner is willing to turn their pile, bioplastics can take more than 180 days to degrade. Another factor is product thickness. The thicker a product is the longer it will take to degrade. Many commercial facilities grind or cut products such as biodegradable cutlery in smaller pieces to decrease degradation time.
Q: Can they be recycled?
Composting involves the decomposition of organic material by bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Recycling is re-processing used materials to create new items. Recycling works by collecting used “waste,” sorting the materials, breaking it down into basic components and then recreating new goods. Biodegradable products are compostable, while most plastics are recyclable. Paper can be either composted or recycled.
Q: Where are these manufactured?
Most products are manufactured overseas. We offset our carbon emissions due to manufacturing and also due to transportation by contributing to organizations that offset carbon emissions. We have relations with community gardens and sustainable farm communities that enable us to be carbon neutral.
Q: How are these better than foam or plastic products?
Plastic and Styrofoam are non-biodegradable, petroleum derived, stay in the environment for hundred to thousands of years and leach toxic substances into the groundwater. Approximately 40 billion plastic utensils are used every year in the USA alone, together with billions of Styrofoam and plastic cups, plates etc. Biodegradable products can, therefore, reduce landfill mass by as much as 30%.
Q: How can I buy them?
Please look at our shop online, where we sell a section of our products. For other orders, Phone and Email orders are welcome. We will soon be opening relationships with several retail locations to enable customers to buy at a retail outlet. We deliver throughout the DFW metroplex.
Q: How much will it cost to Ship?
Local delivery within 40 miles of 75228 is FREE for orders $250 and up. Smaller orders are charged a small shipping fee. We will strive to find the cheapest carriers for your order so that your order reaches you in a timely manner.
Q: When will I receive my order?
For in-stock local orders, we deliver within 2-3 business days of receiving the order. We carry a large inventory of most products and are confident that we will have your earth friendly products in stock.
For out of stock products, shipped directly from the factory, lead times vary and can take up to 2 weeks lead time. Please call to confirm availability.
Q: Can I cancel my order?
Yes, both online and wholesale orders can be cancelled, but only before the order has been delivered or shipped. For delivered products, customer will be liable for any delivery charges paid and a pick up or return-shipping fee will be charged.
Q: What about the cost?
By keeping a limited stock, and also managing our supply chain efficiently, we have reduced cost to the point that our products are very competitive with regular paper and plastic products.
Q: Do you have special discounts for certain organizations?
We work very closely with non profit organizations, schools and faith based organizations. We offer them discounted pricing. We would like to stop by and provide information and strategies to go green without increasing costs.
Q: Why EcoDallas?
EcoDallas is a partner for individuals and organizations that want to minimized their carbon footprint. Our goal is not to replace one type of disposable products with another, but rather to minimize use of disposables. When disposables is the only alternative we would like to minimize the environmental impact by products the most environmentally benign products. We offer training programs and collateral to help organizations go green.