BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS

In recent years, a certain type of product has appeared on the shelves of various companies. Biodegradable consumer products! Similar to any other product, they have a very special feature. Indeed, when they are thrown away, these products naturally decompose in our soils thanks to their properties and the microorganisms responsible for decomposition. In addition, we can know the biodegradability of a substance according to its ability to decompose as well as the time required for its degradation in the environment. For example, a dead leaf takes a few weeks to decompose while a plastic bottle will take up to 1000 years.

Advantages

Biodegradable substances are not harmful to natural environments compared to those that cannot be decomposed by living organisms. Although they produce methane during their decomposition, there are several solutions to capture and exploit this "ecological" methane and therefore make it less harmful. For example, some companies use this greenhouse gas to create electricity or heat homes. However, it is still rare to find companies that use methane as an energy source. In addition, biodegradable products are much easier to recycle since the process does not require chemicals. This is also the case for compost, which allows organic matter to be used for another purpose, i.e. as a natural fertilizer. However, not all biodegradable products compost. It is therefore important to check its components before throwing it away.

At home

When it comes to clothing, it is important to know about biodegradable fabrics. These must themselves come from biodegradable materials, which means that they must be completely natural. For example, cotton, linen and hemp are natural materials that can decompose quickly after use. Therefore, fabrics artificially created from chemical compounds such as polyester or nylon should be avoided because of their slow and environmentally harmful degradation and should not be considered as an alternative among biodegradable products. Several household products also exist in biodegradable format. Whether it is laundry detergent or dish soap, it is possible to find them in stores. Several Quebec brands such as Pure and Attitude offer biodegradable products that reduce their ecological footprint in addition to offering quality products. In the kitchen, it is also possible to acquire biodegradable utensils, cups, wipes or food packaging. Several alternatives exist such as bamboo utensils and cutting boards as well as cotton grocery bags. These alternatives not only allow you to cook in a more environmentally friendly way, but also to reduce waste from plastic packaging.

Take advantage of biodegradable packaging from Greener Locals and our partner Another Land Nearby

Bioplastics

Everyone knows that plastic has a huge impact on the environment. It contaminates both land and sea and creates approximately 4.5% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions during its production. In recent years, some companies have started producing bioplastics, either biodegradable or compostable, or created from plants such as corn. However, it is important to ensure the ecological impact of the different bioplastics, because some can decompose even more slowly than those created from hydrocarbons. The Quebec company Bosk is an example that produces compostable bioplastic from an entirely organic source. To achieve this result, this company uses unexploited and renewable materials produced by players in the paper industry. In addition to using waste rejected by this industry, Bosk produces plastic that decomposes naturally. This bioplastic could, for example, become a substitute for traditional plastics that come from the oil industry. In addition, the term “bioplastic” is not regulated, which means that some companies use it to mislead their customers. More than half of bio-based plastics, which come from biomass, are not biodegradable, while some traditional plastics are. It is therefore important to check the characteristics of the different bioplastics.