Help finding more sustainable disposable cutlery
March 6, 2023 7:37 AM Subscribe
I order office supplies and that includes disposable cutlery. Washing and reusing cutlery is not an option. The default has been to buy plastic cutlery, but I'd like to use something more sustainable. Any recommendations?
I tried some bamboo spoons but they felt weird in my mouth (grainy/rough). They need to be as comfortable as plastic dinnerware or my coworkers will revolt. Ideally, they won't even notice the substitution.
I tried some bamboo spoons but they felt weird in my mouth (grainy/rough). They need to be as comfortable as plastic dinnerware or my coworkers will revolt. Ideally, they won't even notice the substitution.
I don't have any specific brand recommendations, but there's a lot of plasticware made from cornstarch, which is biodegradable and compostable. I've used some before and they're pretty indistinguishable from regular plastic.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:50 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by kevinbelt at 7:50 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: BioPak make a 100% bioplastic cutlery.
"100 percent bioplastic cutlery is made from a plant-based bioplastic – produced from a rapidly renewable starch. Certified commercially compostable. The range includes knives, forks, spoons, sporks, and cutlery sets."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:51 AM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
"100 percent bioplastic cutlery is made from a plant-based bioplastic – produced from a rapidly renewable starch. Certified commercially compostable. The range includes knives, forks, spoons, sporks, and cutlery sets."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:51 AM on March 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Here's another brand of compostable cutlery. I've used their reusable/disposable potato starch products, they are nice.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:53 AM on March 6, 2023
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:53 AM on March 6, 2023
Best answer: It's worth noting that with a lot of these products, 'compostable' means high-temperature commercial composting. Many of them won't break down at any useful rate in a home composter, or in landfill.
posted by pipeski at 8:10 AM on March 6, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by pipeski at 8:10 AM on March 6, 2023 [11 favorites]
It's worth noting that with a lot of these products, 'compostable' means high-temperature commercial composting. Many of them won't break down at any useful rate in a home composter, or in landfill
Yes, the sugarcane pulp cutlery has the advantage that it can be composted in home compost - it's compostability is halfway between white office paper and cardboard.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:14 AM on March 6, 2023 [4 favorites]
Yes, the sugarcane pulp cutlery has the advantage that it can be composted in home compost - it's compostability is halfway between white office paper and cardboard.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:14 AM on March 6, 2023 [4 favorites]
Best answer: One thing I like about the sugarcane pulp (bagasse) stuff is that it's made of a waste biproduct of sugarcane processing, something that would otherwise have been disposed of by burning.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:21 AM on March 6, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:21 AM on March 6, 2023 [6 favorites]
Best answer: If you identify potential products of interest you can double-check if a product is certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute. They have a search page and cutlery section.
posted by gudrun at 8:42 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by gudrun at 8:42 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Delta is using Bamboo cutlery. It has kind of a weird mouthfeel, but probably compostable outside of the high temp commercial composting waste stream.
posted by tomierna at 8:43 AM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by tomierna at 8:43 AM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you are ordering these for use across your office, I'd just like to gently ask that you disclose the materials to whoever will be using them. Corn and wheat allergies can be a problem, and individuals with those concerns will want to be able to do their own research/apply their own risk posture.
posted by neutralhydrogen at 9:04 AM on March 6, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by neutralhydrogen at 9:04 AM on March 6, 2023 [8 favorites]
If you get compostable cutlery, will staff actually separate it and will it et composted?
If not, it's less pure plastic, but I'm not sure of the actual benefit. The thinnest, lightest plastic is the least bad, because it's the least plastic.
posted by theora55 at 9:16 AM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
If not, it's less pure plastic, but I'm not sure of the actual benefit. The thinnest, lightest plastic is the least bad, because it's the least plastic.
posted by theora55 at 9:16 AM on March 6, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Reading along and will look into these options more. Thanks for the reminder about allergies, neutralhydrogen.
theora55, it won't actually be composted, I am just trying to put less plastic into the landfill our garbage goes to and assume if it's home-compostable it'll break down in the landfill. Until this thread I didn't know that compostable could mean "only high-temperature commercial composting"!
posted by joannemerriam at 9:27 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
theora55, it won't actually be composted, I am just trying to put less plastic into the landfill our garbage goes to and assume if it's home-compostable it'll break down in the landfill. Until this thread I didn't know that compostable could mean "only high-temperature commercial composting"!
posted by joannemerriam at 9:27 AM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: if it's home-compostable it'll break down in the landfill
Unfortunately, no, it won't. Landfills are anaerobic. Compostable cutlery needs oxygen and microorganisms to break down. Landfills do not have that kind of environment.
That said, I've used Eco brand products and like them. Their website says that it's still beneficial to choose them over plastic, but that it will not break down in a landfill.
posted by carrioncomfort at 9:39 AM on March 6, 2023 [7 favorites]
Unfortunately, no, it won't. Landfills are anaerobic. Compostable cutlery needs oxygen and microorganisms to break down. Landfills do not have that kind of environment.
That said, I've used Eco brand products and like them. Their website says that it's still beneficial to choose them over plastic, but that it will not break down in a landfill.
posted by carrioncomfort at 9:39 AM on March 6, 2023 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, I had no idea. I don't really have the ability to intercept everybody's utensils but I can at least intercept mine and my boss'...
posted by joannemerriam at 12:10 PM on March 6, 2023
posted by joannemerriam at 12:10 PM on March 6, 2023
Best answer: If you do want to divert some of the potentially compostable cutlery from the landfill, one thing that will help will be to have clearly marked, conveniently located bins from people to drop them in. You won't get everyone but there are lot of people who do it if it is dead easy but not if they have to make any special effort. So, if you can the right set up and if you are willing to personally monitor and empty it you will probably get more than just you and your boss's.
posted by metahawk at 12:57 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by metahawk at 12:57 PM on March 6, 2023 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 7:50 AM on March 6, 2023 [5 favorites]