We have a lot of options for materials that completely decompose. The challenge is materials that only decompose when you want them to, and not while theyre sitting on store shelves
I wonder why we shifted away from things like waxed paper milk cartons(like the small ones you’d get in school) and waxed butcher paper?
Is waxed paper/cardboard product really that much more expensive than plastic in terms of packaging?
Here in Germany, all milk is still distributed in cardboard packages
Yeah, but the inner lining of tetrapacks is plastic
That doesn’t sound like a problem but a feature. We love new shiny things and wasting things.
I think if we find materials that breakdown in a useful way, it creates an incentive to make use of those products that have a shelf life. But more importantly creating a waste product that is beneficial.
I didn’t know if the material science is there yet. But we need to figure out the best way to use these new materials to change industries.
If we can make something profitable, other people will do the hard part of adopting it and getting it out there.
My work produces sooo much waste. More than all of the staff combined will ever produce. And thats just my branch. We have hundreds of branches and being where we are in canada, we put some of the most amount of effort into recycling. Because its law, not because the company is willing to sacrifice profit by spending resources on anything that doesnt produce value in dollars.
We are small fry, and we arent in a monopoly
I think if we find materials that breakdown in a useful way, it creates an incentive to make use of those products that have a shelf life. But more importantly creating a waste product that is beneficial.
Cardboard. It composts well.
I go through more cardboard than garbage. It’s not useful for many packaging or shipping solutions
Right, generally whenever fluids or outdoor exposure is a concern. Because it decomposes.
The problem with cardboard isnt that it decomposes, but that its made of paper, which absorbs fluids. Its also not really possible to make air-proof packaging with cardboard.
i am sure it will be “too expensive” for the next 30 to 40 years.
Much more likely that no company wants to use it no matter how much it costs because it degrades. We use plastic as a packing material specifically because it doesn’t degrade and lasts forever.
Especially for packing would be good if it degrades after a determined time. That and bottles.
Same people, they’ve been making biodegradable footwear for a bit now.
Is it price-competitive with the oil-plastic? What usecases?
I want to be optimistic, but…
