Tag: plastic free

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Composting PLA Plastic at Home

Most PLA plastic is marketed as compostable. However, when you read the fine print, most compostable PLA (polylactic acid) requires industrial facilities to break down. We have successfully been composting small amounts of PLA in our Pilot Compost Project using aerated static piles, but we also want to know what a typical home tumbler can handle.

Not all PLA is compostable, or even biodegradable. However, PLA meeting EN 13432 should compost in ideal conditions (ie commercial composting) without leaving behind and residues which can be toxic to the soil. PLA with the TUV OK HOME Compost (Formerly vincotte) should compost in the conditions found in the typical home pile.

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Plastic Recycling

Single use plastic is polluting our landfill, lungs, and ocean.  Ideally, we will move away from plastics as reusable and compostable alternatives become more widely available.  However, we must recycle the plastic that we already use.  Plastic recycling is becoming more widely available, but one of the greatest challenges is the lack of information about what is actually recyclable at local facilities.  Less than 10% of plastic is recycled in the USA.  If St Maarten wants to do better, we are all going to have to learn a bit about plastic and what can be recycled locally.

Plastic is divided into 7 categories: PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and ‘Other’.

#1 PET or PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate)

Plastic Recycling #1 PET or PETE
Plastic Recycling #1 PET or PETE

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Plastic Free Bathroom

One of the areas we can make the biggest zero waste difference is in our bathrooms.  On top of helping the environment, zero waste bathrooms can also save us money.  A plastic free bathroom is getting easier and easier, thanks to the increasing global awareness over the fate of much of our plastic waste.  Plastic is virtually forever.  It doesn’t disappear, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces.  It is in our bodies, our food, our water, and our oceans.

Plastic Free Bathroom
Plastic Free Bathroom.  Helping the environment while saving you money; a win for all!

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