Did you know that we dispose of about 11 metric tons of plastic waste in oceans every year? And, out of all the plastic waste disposed of, about 50% of it is meant for just single-use. The point is that single-use plastic products come with more baggage than we think. They can stick around in our ecosystem for centuries, leading to choking and entanglement in wildlife and even death. Compostable products, on the other hand, are a greener alternative to single-use plastics.
This blog post talks about the hidden impact of single-use plastics on our oceans. The lifecycle of a plastic disposable plate doesn't end at the bottom of that trash can. Since disposable plastic plates and bowls are made from non-renewable resources like petroleum, they take a long time to break down in our ecosystem. In fact, certain plastic plates can even take about 500 years to start breaking down. That said, here's what you need to know about plastic waste and how ocean pollution from plastic is a major threat.
Ocean Pollution & Single-Use Plastics
If you are wondering how much plastic waste is in oceans, there are about 171 trillion pieces of plastic currently floating. Technically, disposable plastic products like disposable plates, bowls and cutlery are made from non-renewable resources like petroleum. This means that single-use plastic products can take a long time to start breaking down in our ecosystem. Some kinds of disposable bowls and plates can even take about 500 years to start breaking down.
So, while they wait to biodegrade, these plastic products often end up in oceans, leading to ocean plastic pollution. Because these products take a long time to break down in our oceans, they stick around, floating together. Eventually, these pieces of plastic trash are ingested by marine life, who often mistake them for food. This can lead to choking, entanglement, and even death.
Moreover, when it is finally time for plastic waste in oceans to break down, they finally break down into microplastics, which get mixed up with ocean waves and always enter our food chain. Factually, an average human consumes a credit card's worth of microplastics every week.
What's The Alternative? Compostable vs Plastic Products
When it comes to alternatives, single-use compostable products are a great way to reduce ocean pollution from plastics. Unlike plastic disposable plates or bowls, which are made from non-renewable resources like petroleum, our range of compostable plates and bowls is made from plants and sustainably sourced materials. Certified with a back-to-nature promise, these products are designed to break down into nutrient-rich compost within just 90-180 days after disposal.
Unlike single-use plastic products that sit around for a long time and contaminate the ecosystem after breaking down, these compostable products literally break down into compost. The compost formed is ultra-rich in nutrients and can be added to soil as manure. It can also help with soil's water retention levels.
Compostable Products To Try Today- The Wrap Up
Here's a list of compostable products you can try to ditch using single-use plastics:
Compostable Disposable Plates
Made from sustainably sourced materials like upcycled sugarcane bagasse, our range of compostable bagasse plates is a great alternative to single-use plastic plates. USDA-certified for being bio-based and certified compostable, these plates are here to offer a guilt-free convenience.
Besides being sustainable, they are also pretty sturdy. While single-use plastic plates get soggy or mushy under all the weight, these plates are not here to take no for an answer. They are also non-toxic and can be used in a microwave, oven, freezer, or refrigerator.
Compostable Disposable Bowls
These eco-friendly disposable bowls are USDA-certified for being made out of bio-based material. Made from upcycled sugarcane bagasse and certified for all compostability claims, these compostable bagasse bowls are planet-safe and convenient.
Because they are meant to be used just once, they offer a guilt-free convenience, without you doing dishes after every meal.