Materials
Paper :
The papers used to manufacture our products are either from recycled or sustainable forest sources ensuring that our forests are not depleted.
Paper can either be recycled or, since paper is produced from organic matter, can also biodegrade.
PLA :
PLA stands for Polylactic Acid which is a biodegradable plastic derived from renewable plant resources such as corn starch. The PLA most commonly used in food packaging has a relatively low melting temperature and therefore is only suitable for packaging cold food and drinks.
PLA food packaging products are generally manufactured through a process of ‘thermoforming’ whereby heat is used to mould PLA sheets into specific shapes. Since PLA has a relatively low melting temperature this means that less energy is required and therefore less carbon dioxide is emitted during the manufacturing process of PLA food packaging products.
Green Gate bio-plastic food packaging products are largely made using the NatureWorks LLC brand of PLA known as Ingeo. NatureWorks LLC are at the forefront of PLA production technology and are constantly improving the production process to make it more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable.
Specific forms of Ingeo meet the EN 13432 standard and are certified as compostable. The following image shows how our PLA lined eco hot cups break down in just a few weeks:
PSM :
PSM stands for PlaStarch Material. PSM is derived from the renewable resource corn starch which is modified, rendering it more heat resistant. As with PLA, PSM is made using renewable resources thereby preserving the earth’s non-renewable resources such as coal and oil.
Specific forms of PSM meet the EN 13432 standard and are certified as compostable.
Sugar Cane Pulp :
This biodegradable material comes from the reeds of sugar canes and makes an excellent substitute for the plastics used in conventional fast food takeaway packaging which takes many years to break down.
Products made from sugar cane pulp are not only made from a renewable resource – plants – but also have the added benefit that sugar cane pulp would otherwise be a WASTE product which is now being put to good use. Sugar cane pulp products can be used in microwaves, ovens, and refrigerators.
Recyclable and biodegradable.
PS :
PS stands for Polystyrene. At Green Gate our aim is to make the switch to eco-friendly disposables as easy and cost-effective as possible. Therefore, where a biodegradable/compostable offering is not yet available, is not fit-for-purpose or is cost prohibitive we seek to offer you the next best alternatives. Whilst this material is made from petroleum which is a non-renewable resource and also not compostable, it can be recycled and we encourage you to do so wherever possible (PS has the plastics recycling group number ‘6’). We are currently working to find suitable alternatives for products made from this plastic and hope to be able to remove this section very soon!
Recyclable.
