Ever wondered if recycling cups is better than composting? There's a lot of confusion surrounding compostable coffee cups and we're here to set the record straight by debunking 5 of the more common myths around bioplastics.
Myth #1:
PLA plastic is a polymer and no better than regular plastic
Truth:
BioCups are made with a bioplastic sourced from rapidly-renewable plant resources, like corn – not finite fossil fuels. Ingeo™ PLA (polylactic acid) requires 52% less energy to produce and has a carbon footprint 71.8% lower compared to regular plastic. It is designed for the circular economy to biodegrade into nutrient-rich compost in an industrial compost facility.
Myth #2:
No industrial compost facilities accept BioCups
Truth:
30+ commercial compost facilities in Australia and New Zealand compost BioCups. This number is growing every week. Our BioPak Compost Service can collect compostable packaging and food waste from 2,200+ suburbs in every state (including Victoria). Our customers have diverted 700 tonnes of waste from landfill in one year.
Myth #3:
BioCups can’t be recycled in residential recycling
Truth:
Neither PE 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. In addition, businesses can use the BioPak Compost Service operating in 13 major cities across Australia and New Zealand.
Myth #4:
BioCups don’t break down into quality compost
Truth:
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 our Compost Service, our customers have created 50,000 x 10kg bags of compost– returning nutrients to the soil in a proven closed-loop solution.
Myth #5:
BioCups compost in landfill
Truth:
Ideally, no cups, foodservice packaging or food should go into landfill. The conditions in landfill are such that the process of biodegradation of organics (cup paper) will emit harmful methane gas – not nutrient-rich compost. However, if BioCups and regular coffee cups (PE cups) do end up there, BioCups have contributed less greenhouse gases and used less non-renewable energy when they were made, something regular cups cannot achieve.
More information:
- Watch ‘The Journey of a BioCup’
- Watch ‘Benefits of BioCups’
- Watch ‘There is No Waste in the Circular Economy’
