GREEN MOUNTAIN COMPOST CUTLERY COMPOSTABILITY TEST

Transcription

1 GREEN MOUNTAIN COMPOST CUTLERY COMPOSTABILITY TEST September, 201 March, 2014

2 Procedure Nine brands of PLA cutlery were procured from manufacturers and then tested for degree of compostability at the Green Mountain Compost facility in Willliston, Vermont. Eight of the nine brands met ASTM D6400 standards and were BPI certified. Green Mountain Compost utilizes an aerated static pile (ASP) compost system. Each batch of compost undergoes two phases of aeration, screening followed by a curing period. Our sample bags went through the same process, with the exception of screening, for a total of 17 days of composting. Each sample was weighed then placed in a heavy-duty nylon mesh bag along with several scoops of our bulk compost recipe. Sample bags were then buried at a depth of -4 ft. in one compost pile. (See photos below.) The samples underwent 17 days of static aeration in Phase 1, were removed and remoistened (as is standard procedure in our composting process,) and were then reinserted into a new pile of partially composted materials for aeration in Phase 2. The samples spent 27 additional days of aeration in Phase 2. Please see attached sheets for information on composting temperatures in Phases 1 and 2. At 44 days of total aeration, following removal from Phase 2, mesh bags were emptied and each sample's contents were picked through. Visible pieces of cutlery were removed, photographed, and weighed.* Mesh bags were refilled with soil from the pile from which they came, and remaining pieces of cutlery were mixed back into their respective bags. Bags were buried at a depth of -4 ft. in a curing area compost pile consisting of the same compost material that surrounded the bags during aeration. The samples underwent 129 days of curing (mesophilic composting) and were removed at 17 days (total). Mesh bags were again emptied and each sample's contents were picked through. Visible pieces of cutlery were removed, photographed, and weighed*. Degree of degradation was determined by visual examination of photos and consideration of percent decrease in total sample mass. We utilized a subjective 0 through 4 scale of degradation as follows: 0 - No degradation 1 Slight degradation 2 - Moderate degradation Advanced degradation 4 Full degradation * Some samples were not weighed after curing because they were almost fully degraded down to tiny pieces that would have been near impossible to pick out and/or distinguish from other material contained in the bags.

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6 Results Following Phases 1 & 2: Sample Percent Breakdown Degradation Rating* 1 World Centric 1.5% 1 2 Veg Ware 27.6% 2 EcoProducts 11.7% 1 4 Nature Ware 54.9% 2 5 Earth Sense 19.0% 1 6 Nature Works / Ingeo 5.7% 1 7 Spudware 29.9% 2 8 Taterware % 2 9 Greenwave 1.2% 0 Following Curing Phase: Sample Percent Breakdown Degradation Rating* 1 World Centric 6.8% 2 Veg Ware ~100% 4 EcoProducts ~100% 4 4 Nature Ware ~100% 4 5 Earth Sense ~100% 4 6 Nature Works / Ingeo N/A** 7 Spudware 65.6% 8 Taterware 6400 ~100% 4 9 Greenwave 2.6%*** 0 0 = No degradation 1 = Slight degradation 2 = Moderate degradation = Advanced degradation 4 = Full degradation Considerations: It is important to note that though samples were always buried in the same pile within a few feet of each other, it is possible that conditions within specific areas of each pile could vary slightly due to pockets of varying moisture, temperature, and/or oxygen in that area. This would be more likely in phases 1 and 2 than in the curing phase. 100% retrieval of sample material would be virtually impossible: very small pieces of sample material could have fallen out of sample bags through the mesh; and some pieces of decomposed samples were so small that it was impossible to pick them out of the soil. * Degradation rating determined using photos and percent breakdown ** Data collection for Nature Works / Ingeo weights was faulty *** No visible signs of degradation. Reduction in mass likely due to broken pieces that were not found.

7 Conclusions We found some variation in the compostability of the 9 brands of cutlery tested. One of the samples that we tested was apparently an older formulation sold by Green Wave and turned out to be a noncompostable product which did not carry compostable certification and was sent to us erroneoulsy. The other 8 brands were found to "fully" or "mostly" degrade after the full 17 days of test composting that is representative of the composting process at our facility. Given that our compost is screened down to /8" prior to an extensive curing period, it is likely that any intact pieces would either be screened out for further composting or have plenty of time for full integration. Green Mountain Compost is not set up for running extensive testing on every formulation of compostable plastic cutlery available. Though dismayed by the continued green washing of noncompostable items labeled as "compostable," "degradable," "biodegradable," and "oxodegradable" by certain firms in the plastics industry, we have gained confidence that the newer formulations that have been vetted by the likes of Cedar Grove Compost, Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), and others using ASTM methods are indeed truly compostable if properly composted. Based on the results of this study, Green Mountain Compost will lift our cutlery ban and allow certified compostable cutlery as an acceptable feedstock.

8 Post-Phase 2 Photos

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13 Post-Curing Photos 1. World Centric

14 2. Vegware Very few visible pieces remaining.. Eco-Products Very few visible pieces remaining.

15 4. Natur-Ware Virtually no visible pieces remaining. 5. Earth Sense (WNA) Virtually no visible pieces remaining.

16 6. NatureWorks Ingeo (Jaya)

17 7. Spud Ware

18 8. Tater Ware 6400 Virtually no visible pieces remaining. 9. Green Wave Not compostable material.

19 GREEN MOUNTAIN COMPOST COMPOSTABLE CUTLERY TEST 201/2014 Total Starting Net PHASE 1 PHASE 2 CURING (129 days) Date started in Date pulled from from pulled from Date started in Date pulled % breakdown by Date started in Date percentage breakdown by No. Brand Manufacturer Model # Composition Certifications # of samples Total # of pieces Mass (g) phase 1 phase 1 phase 2 phase 2 Total net mass (g) weight curing curing (2 months) Total net mass (g) weight 1 Tea Spoon SP-PS-6 World Centric Fork FO-PS-6 Knife KN-PS-6 Non-Gmo TPLA, 70% corn, 0% talc BPI, ASTM D6400, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/2014 RK-PS-B Spork % % 2 6.5" CPLA Knife Vegware Resin made by Green Day 6.5" CPLA Fork 6.5 CPLA Spoon CPLA - Crystallized PLA BPI, ASTM D6400, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/ % %* 6" Knife EP-S011 Eco-Products 6" Fork EP-S012 6" Spoon EP-S01 PLA (corn based) BPI, ASTM D6400, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/2014 6" Soup Spoon EP-S % N/A %* 4 Natur-Ware (Nature Tek) Northern Technologies Int'l Corp. Fork NT1890-BULK Knife NT1890-BULK-0001 Spoon NT1890-BULK mpla BPI, ASTM D6400, EN142, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/ % N/A %* 5 Fork ESVFKBK500 Earth Sense (WNA) WNA Knife ESVKNBK500 Spoon ESVSPBK500 CPLA ASTM D6400, BPI, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/ % N/A %* 6 6" Knife CPLA-001 NatureWorks Ingeo (Jaya) Asean Corp. (Cereplast is actual manufacturer) 6" Fork CPLA-002 6" Spoon CPLA-00 Taster Spoon CPLA-006 CPLA BPI, ASTM D6400, Cedar Grove 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/ % % 7 7" XL Spoon Spud Ware Excellent Packaging & Supply 7" XL Fork "XL Knife PLA ASTM D /12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/2014 4" Tasting Spoon % % 8 Fork TWF-6400-BPI Tater Ware 6400 Biodegradable Food Service, LLC Knife TWK-6400-BPI Spoon TWS-6400-BPI GMO Free CPLA, new crystalization process BPI, ASTM D6400 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/2014 Soup Spoon TWSS-6400-BPI % N/A %* 9 2 x Fork 2 Green Wave Trans World International 2 x Knife 2 x Spoon Wrong sample sent -- not a compostable material None 2 2 9/12/201 9/26/201 9/0/201 10/24/201 11/8/201 /17/ % % * % breakdown is estimated.