Starting from 2021, all plastic disposable products will be banned, the new legislation has been approved by the European Parliament and will subsequently be agreed with the governments of the various states.
70% of marine waste consists of: cotton sticks, straws, cutlery and plates, obviously all made of plastic, which accumulate in the seas, beaches and oceans, with damage to the marine ecosystem is not indifferent. Just think, that plastic residues have been found in many marine species: whales, turtles, seals, fish and crustaceans; consequently it can be said without any doubt that inevitably the microplastics have now entered the human food chain.
To repair the bad habits with which man has smeared and polluted (almost) irreversibly, the earth aims, with this new European legislation, to reduce by 25% all those plastic products for which there are no alternatives and to recycle at least until 90% of the plastic bottles to be collected for recycling, separately.
We can do a lot to help the Earth and it seems that it is now clear to everyone that we live in a world with limited resources; the alternatives to plastics exist and are many, but above all they have qualities that are strictly necessary for their disposal and therefore the well-being of our planet: biodegradability and compostability. But be careful, these two terms are not synonyms at all, but two well-defined and separate characteristics.
Biodegradable and compostable: the differences
We immediately clarify that biodegradable does not automatically mean that it is compostable. In fact, biodegradable means any material that can be broken down by sun, bacteria and natural physical agents into simple chemical compounds such as water, carbon dioxide or methane. European legislation states that a product can only be described as biodegradable if it decays by 90% within six months.
By compostable element instead, we mean that material that is not only biodegradable but where its decomposition process takes place within three months. So the substantial difference between compostable and biodegradable, is the time it takes for a product to turn into elementary chemical compounds at the end of the biodegradation process.
Disposable products: the valid alternatives to plastic
Nowadays, the disposable plastic products are easy to find and above all very used, but unfortunately these products seriously harm the surrounding environment and beyond. Suffice it to say that in the Pacific Ocean there is a plastic floating island called "Pacific Trash Vortex", as large as 3 times Italy, it is currently considered the largest floating waste area in the world.
The alternatives to plastic, however, have existed for some time and consist of products in: pine wood, bamboo wood, c.p.l.a., birch wood and cellulose pulp. Let's look specifically at each type of material used and the types of products that derive from it.
Disposable products in wood
For the production of single-use products, a valid alternative to plastic, is represented by wood. Whether it's bamboo, pine or birch wood, all the products that come with it are completely biodegradable, therefore easy to dispose of and eco-friendly.
There are already commercially available products made of wood, ranging from simple cup-shaped containers to the most varied models of containers for "finger food": small boats, cones for frying and battered, chopsticks, skewers and forks. All these products in addition to biodegradability, are also distinguished by the design, are in fact made in such a way that they are also very functional and pleasing to the eye.
Single-use products in C.P.L.A
PLA is a polymer material, obtained by processing corn starch and with which products are made suitable for direct contact with food up to a maximum temperature of 55 °; if properly disposed of it is quickly and completely biodegradable. In fact, in composting plants, it degrades in 10 maximum 12 weeks, becoming compost, which is used in turn as a natural fertilizer for agricultural land.
C.P.L.A is an alloy composed of the union of PLA and other biodegradable raw materials, which serve to increase heat resistance without affecting compostability. This material is particularly suitable for the production of products suitable for direct contact with hot food: they are in fact heat resistant up to a maximum temperature of 90 °.
On the market you can find products made with this material, mainly disposable cups and various types of cutlery. All these products can be easily disposed of as "wet" waste because they are 100% compostable.
Disposable products in cellulose pulp
The cellulose pulp has as its main component the wood and is in effect a derivative of the processing of the same. Unlike products made of CPLA, which resist on average up to 90 ° C, products made of cellulose pulp have a very high temperature resistance, over 200 °.
This material and consequently the products made of this material, have innumerable advantages because in addition to being completely biodegradable and compostable, they are resistant to high temperatures and it is even possible to use them in microwave ovens; moreover, it is calculated that the decomposition timing of the cellulose pulp takes place in shorter times, even with respect to the regulations in force.
In cellulose pulp different products are manufactured and marketed including: various types of dishes, containers of various shapes, boxes for storing take away foods, bowls and trays.
Thanks to all these alternative materials mentioned above, it will be easy to eliminate plastic disposable products and thus reduce their presence and the resulting environmental impact; for a healthier and more livable world for future generations too.
