Plastic that will compost is better than 100 year old plastic. Wanna bet?!
The main reason I started alternate designs is because in the last couple of years polymer companies have started to really get dialed into microorganism produced polymers that are 100% compostable and biodegradable. If we are going to be producing products and parts from plastics, they better be biodegradable or we wouldn’t be doing this at all.
Not only is it great to use plastics that will compost in a short time, the facts on what they are made of are even more astounding. PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) is a class of polyesters that are derived from bacterial fermentation. Microorganisms make polyesters in a nutrient deficient condition to survive, and these PHAs can then be harvested and used to form (plastics)! This is organic chemistry at its finest!
PHA has a very good heat resistance of up to 120C. They are water insoluble so they can be used to hold water or other liquids that aren’t acidic. Bio-compatible so they are suitable for medical equipment. And are obviously non toxic, if an animal were to ingest a piece of it, it will most likely break down in there stomach and pass!
Other bio-based materials are derived from waste materials of all sorts of plants. Banana peels, potato skin, corn husks, etc., can all be used to make polymers meaning they are bio-based. As long as these are not mixed with standard, oil-based polymers they are truly biodegradable. Its pretty cool to think we can start to use the entirety of certain plants in order to produce products that we use every single day!
At Alternate Design, we know the value of life. At least we feel that we do. We don’t want to run away or fly away to another planet after this one is damaged to badly. It’d be nice to preserve our planet the best we can and live in true congruence with it. When I feel into my heart of hearts, that is the answer I get. I don’t think this whole planet was for nothing. This whole planet was built to host life, and now that life has gotten to big for its britches!
Here is a scenario for you: There are two plastic (polymer) products on a shelf at a store. A PHA (100% biodegradable and compostable) made product, and a regular PLA (said to be biodegradable, but only in industrial compost) made product. They are virtually the same price and have all the same properties. PLA will stay here for hundreds of years if not brought to a specific composting facility, which are hard to find. PHA will compost in less than a year in your backyard. Are you choosing the PHA?
Thank you for reading!
