The Advantages of Biodegradable Products
In recognition of environmental hazards, green living is becoming a common practice among Americans. Recycling is common and biodegradable products made of bioplastic are popping up more and more on the shelves. Bioplastic is packaging made of biopolymers--or biomass--that consist of elements such as corn, sugarcane, potatoes, grass, plants and other decomposable matters that break down naturally in the earth. If you are well informed of the advantages of biodegradable products and practice regular recycling habits, you can help keep our earth healthy, clean and efficient.
If you want to "go green" but have concerns about the functionality and convenience of biodegradable products there are few--if any--differences in appearance, temperature endurance or efficiency between bioplastics and regular plastic. Biodegradable plastics are completely freezer safe, microwavable and can typically withstand heated temperatures of 120 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Most biodegradable plastics--excluding those made from potato starch--contain no allergens and are safe for atopic consumers. On a whole biodegradable products non-toxic. They are made from natural elements therefore contain no chemicals to exude toxic and poisonous wastes while breaking down in compost. The natural composition of the biopolymers is fully absorbed by the earth.
Because biodegradable products are composed of natural ingredients that break down easily into the earth, it requires far less energy to recycle them providing faster and more efficient production. In the production stage, it requires half as much energy to produce biodegradable products than those made of regular plastics. The same amount of energy will produce twice as many biodegradable bags, containers or packages as it would non-degradable products.
With national concerns of energy conservation and foreign exchange policies a great advantage of using biodegradable products is the potential to rely less on foreign oils. A significant amount of the oil used to produce plastics is obtained from foreign countries. Producing biodegradable products made from local biomass materials can save the country considerable amounts of energy, ultimately leading to a reduced dependency on foreign oil sources. In the long run, adapting to using biodegradables can lead to domestic solutions.
The advantages of using biodegradable products extends beyond the safety and well being of the earth and can also benefit those involved in retail and manufacturing. With so much attention focused on recycling and green living, many people are restricting their purchases of household products, groceries and even fast foods only to products and proprietors that use biodegradable packaging products. If you are a retailer or restaurant owner, advertising your use of bioplastics may enhance your potential to increased business, sales and profit by attracting environmentally conscious consumers.