Compostable packaging is it all it's cracked up to be?
 
Thanks to David Attenborough's Blue Planet we all know that plastics, particularly single-use, are damaging our oceans and marine wildlife. But merely changing from plastics to the much-glorified compostable packaging doesn't address the root cause, and our own Sitemark investigations have shown that the UK waste infrastructure is woefully inadequate in dealing with them. Consequently, much of this packaging, that UK consumers believe to be an environmentally friendly choice, is ending up in non-recycling and being sent to Energy from Waste or landfill.
 
Quick fact check

• Mainly made from plant-derived PLA (polylactic acid)
• Less CO2 emissions than plastic production
• Only composts in the right industrial processes (you can't throw them in your compost bin at home)
• Not suitable for anaerobic digestion plants (turn food waste to bio-fuel) - they take too long to break down

Conclusion
 
Better than plastic, but currently not a sustainable answer to the global plastic consumption problem
 
"If there's a better way to deliver your FM services we will help you find it"
 
T: 01684 580680
E: efficiency@sitemark.co.uk
W: www.sitemark.co.uk