Big debut for palm-based packaging by Celeste LeCompte - 12.5.05
A new compostable packaging debuts in North American groceries in
November, and its producers say it has an advantage over its corn-based
predecessor: It actually composts.
Corn-based plastic, also known as PLA (short for polylactic acid),
composts — but only under commercial conditions where heat and moisture
can be tightly regulated. In home compost piles, where temperatures are
lower, the material won’t break down.
By contrast, Earthcycle Packaging Ltd.’s palm-fiber plates, cartons
and flower pots decompose in a home pile within about 90 days, said
Peggi Peacock, the company’s vice president of marketing.
It’s not likely Earthcycle products will replace PLA completely.
The corn-based material is more rigid than Earthcycle and can be made
clear for see-through packaging — a key feature for many packaged
produce distributors. Peacock said Earthcycle may also use PLA for lids
on some of its products.
