Compostable V Oxo Degradable What's the Difference?

Oxo-degradable VS Compostable Plastics

As we all know today we have a huge plastic problem- whether its from not recycling properly, or single use plastics that cannot be recycled. Eco friendly plastic alternatives are out there, but knowing which ones that are actually kind to our planet is the important part.

Oxo degradable plastics are a form of plastic that are seen to biodegrade quicker than most. Sounds excellent right? Unfortunately like other plastics Oxo has been seen to not fully biodegrade but leave tiny pieces called micro plastics- these add towards the pollution in the worlds soils and oceans. This effects our planet, wildlife and marine life. There are some studies that have shown traces of micro plastics in humans from the food we eat – How scary!

Due to Oxo not braking down completely it cannot be recycled or composted. This evidences that Oxo degradable plastic in my eyes is no better than the real stuff!  Or possibly even worse!

Compostable Plastics are said to be “the next generation of plastics”, this meaning that instead of using plastics that are made from petrochemicals and fossil fuels, compostable plastics are made from renewable materials such as; corn, potato, and tapioca starches, cellulose, soy protein, and lactic acid. This allows compostable plastics to decompose back into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass- impressive hey! The perks to compostable plastics is that they are created using natural resources which means they are non toxin, and when put in to proper composting facilities they can take 3-6 months to fully decompose.

We have found a creative way to produce their straws out of compostable plastics aka natural resources. Although compostable plastics still have a long way to go before these are perfectly composted everywhere in the world. Plantastic products straws have become an excellent resource of replacing our plastic straw  problem; but also helping prevent the devastation of pollution, these human accessories make in our oceans. Check out our  FAQ pagefor more information.

So what's the verdict between these two choices?  It is clear that compostable is the way to go as they are hugely superior.  Oxo Degradable is greenwashing at its worst as some studies suggest that they are actually worse than oil based plastics!

There are so many non plastic alternatives out there that we can choose to use in our everyday lives, but when reusable options aren't suitable or hygienic then compostable resins such as we offer are fantastic alternative's.

 - Blog By Rosie Musgrove