Trash Talk with The Biodegradable Products Institute

Posted by StalkMarket at 12/2/2008 10:26 AM
Categories: Waste Management
Commercial Composting
A few weeks ago, StalkMarket announced that a number of its products were certified as compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute. We also blogged about some of the recent new laws in California that the BPI strongly supports. In addition to promoting the use of compostable paper and plastics, the BPI is a huge proponent of programs that divert biodegradable and organic waste from landfills to commercial composting projects. According to Environmental Protection Agency, 25 million tons of food scraps end up in landfills or incinerators in the United States each year. That’s 16% of the total waste produced. In this very useful article, Steve Mojo, executive director of the Biodegradable Products Institute outlines all of the benefits of making sure this waste is composted.

While some modern landfills are working on new and interesting ways to help ensure decomposition of biodegradable materials and capture the methane gas byproduct, the majority of the landfills today essentially entomb refuse by sealing it off to air and water. In these environments, nothing can decompose. For those who really want to learn about landfills, Mojo recommends a book called Rubbish! by William Rathje and Cullen Mruphy.

Unfortunately, since most of us don’t visit landfills on a regular basis, the volume of garbage we generate is infrequently top of mind. It is, however, one of the most significant environmental challenges we all face.

StalkMarket is proud to offer an environmentally superior alternative to traditional single use tableware and food packaging, but we also recognize that we are really offering part of the overall solution. As individuals, there is a lot we can do and a lot we must do. Supporting home composting, institutional composting and commercial composting is one of the most important actions we can think take.

Dean Rodgers

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