Sustainable packaging manufacturer Biopak has released a list of five myths revolving around compostable coffee cups, specifically its BioCup line:
- Polylactic acid (PLA) is a polymer and no better than regular plastic
BioCups are made with a bioplastic sourced from rapidly renewable plant resources, like corn. Biopak says the cups are designed for the circular economy to biodegrade into nutrient rich compost in an industrial compost facility.
- No industrial compost facilities accept BioCups
More than 30 commercial compost facilities in Australia and New Zealand compost BioCups. The BioPak Compost Service collects compostable packaging and food waste from more than 2200 suburbs across every state. Biopak says its customers divert 700 tonnes of waste from landfill in one year.
- Only BioCups can’t be recycled in residential recycling
Neither polyethylene or PLA lined cups can be recycled in residential paper/plastic recycling streams. However, BioCups can be composted in residential green bin collections along with coffee residue, other compostable packaging, and food scraps in a growing number of locations, such as South Australia.
- BioCups don’t break down into a quality compost
BioCups are independently certified to AS4736 and when disposed of in an industrial compost facility they will completely biodegrade into a non-toxic, high-quality compost without leaving behind any microplastics. Through its compost service, Biopak says customers have created 50,000 10-kilogram bags of compost.
- BioCups compost in landfill
The conditions in landfill are such that the process of biodegradation of organics, in this case cup paper, will emit harmful methane gas – not nutrient-rich compost. However, Biopak says if this happens, BioCups still contribute less greenhouse gases and used less non-renewable energy when they were made and disposed of than PE cups.
For more information, visit www.biopak.com.au
