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Q. How are products made with Cereplast resins different from other plastic products on the market today?
A. Cereplast resins are sustainable. This means that plastics made from Cereplast resins are environmentally friendly. They replace a significant amount of petroleum-based additives with starches derived from corn, potatoes or other renewable plants. In addition, the Cereplast Compostables® product line will fully biodegrade after their useful life.
Q. How is Cereplast resins made?
A. Resin manufacturing begins once the Cereplast production team selects the right bio-polymer matrix made from renewable, cost-stable resources. These biopolymers include polylactic acid (PLA) from NatureWorks LLC, soy proteins, PHA, PHBs, or starch from corn, wheat, tapioca or potatoes. The selected bio-polymer is blended with other bio-based components to reinforce its molecular structure through a proprietary process developed by Cereplast. The blend is then polymerized and treated with nano-composites for surface optimization and further reinforcement. The entire green composite process is high-speed and low-cost. The final product is then packaged and shipped to converters, which are able to process the resin using traditional equipment.
Q. Is the manufacturing process for plastics made from Cereplast resin different from the process used for manufacturing petroleum-based plastics?
A. The manufacturing process for products containing Cereplast resins takes place at a lower heat threshold and therefore requires significantly less petroleum and emits less carbon dioxide. However, products made from Cereplast resin can be manufactured on standard, pre-existing manufacturing equipment, using existing molds.
Q. What are the elements that make Cereplast resins sustainable?
A. Cereplast resin is manufactured from annually renewable resources. (It takes 77 million years for the earth to renew the fossil fuels that are used in the manufacturing of traditional plastic products.) The production process uses significantly less petroleum and emits less carbon dioxide and therefore fewer greenhouse gases.
Q. What are the advantages of using products made from Cereplast resins?
A. From an environmental perspective, using products made from Cereplast resins is a way to contribute to a healthier earth. From a financial perspective, as the price of fossil fuels rises on the world market, the cost of the plant-based raw ingredients used in the manufacture of Cereplast resins will remain relatively stable.
Q. Where are products made from Cereplast resins being used?
A. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Geographic headquarters in Washington D.C., Sodexho, U.S. Food Service, Aramark, Whole Foods, and a number of schools and colleges, universities and national state parks are currently using products made from Cereplast.
Q. Are products made from Cereplast resins bio-based?
A. Yes, Cereplast resin families are bio-based. Cereplast resins were tested through radiocarbon analysis by a third-party laboratory to check the level of bio-based components. The tests demonstrated that all Cereplast plastics are bio-based.
Q. Who certifies Cereplast Compostables® resins biodegradable and compostable?
A. Compostability of Cereplast Compostables® resins was tested by a third-party laboratory and confirmed by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), which granted to Cereplast resins its seal of compostability. Compostability in the United States is defined through a testing process described in detail by two ASTM Specifications: ASTM 6400 D99 and ASTM 6868. ASTM International (it originally stood for American Society for Testing and Materials) is one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world – a trusted source for technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Cereplast Compostables® resins also meet European Bioplastics standards (EN 13432) for compostability.
Q. How should products made from Cereplast Compostables® resins be disposed?
A. In the United States, the most common ways of disposing of waste are:
- Landfills
- Composting sites
- Incinerators
Products made with Cereplast Compostables® resins can be discarded through all three methods. The preferred choice is composting so that products return to nature through biodegradation within less than 180 days, generally in 60 days. The time varies with the thickness of the products. In a landfill, products made from Cereplast Compostables® resins will biodegrade but this process will take longer, as landfills, unlike compost facilities, are designed to be moisture-free. In incinerators, Cereplast Compostables® products will burn without toxic emissions, as the main ingredient is cornstarch. Currently, there are no ASTM specifications for biodegradation in landfills. The company is working with ASTM along with others to have new specifications developed.
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