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Compostable plates are an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable plastic or plastic coated paper plates. Compostable plates are made of organic materials and can be used for large-scale events such as parties, picnics and barbecues, because reusable ceramic plates are impractical. Although the compostable boards are still technically disposable, they are biodegradable rather than decomposing in a landfill. 

When a board is marked as "compostable", it essentially means that it can be broken down and biodegraded or composted in an industrial composting facility. The composter can then sell the compost to a nursery or farm as a natural fertilizer for soil remediation.

For people living in areas where industrial composting facilities can accept them, compostable items are an ideal environmental choice. Some compostable boards will not decompose in ordinary household compost bins because they need to be exposed to extremely high temperatures. The way they are made determines how you deal with them.

No single designated material is designated as "compostable". Compostable plates are made of a variety of materials, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages related to aesthetics, durability and overall eco-friendliness.

Bagasse is a natural material derived from sugar cane. The manufacturer turns it into a compostable paper product with minimal processing. If no company uses bagasse and converts it into a useful product, it will eventually be landfilled.

Bagasse is the fibrous residue left after sugarcane stems are crushed and the juice is removed. Typically, bagasse arrives at compostable product manufacturing facilities as wet pulp, then is squeezed and converted into dry pulp board. The pulp board enters the forming machine, where it is formed into a plate shape. Some manufacturers take extra steps to mix the pulp with water and oil repellents to make the material stronger.

Bamboo plants are strong and grow quickly, and do not require any pesticides or irrigation, making them a simple source of renewable materials. Manufacturers who use bamboo plants to make compostable products can collect the materials they need without actually harming the bamboo plants themselves. 

Bamboo products are usually made from a protective outer layer of bamboo stems, called sheaths. As part of the bamboo growth process, the sheath will fall off naturally. After the plant has matured and shed its sheath, the material is collected, cleaned and boiled, and then laminated to the thickness of the board. The manufacturer presses and glues the sheath to shape it into the desired shape-no chemicals required.

Products made from palm leaves are not only environmentally friendly, but also support local workers in tropical areas where palm trees grow.

Once the palm leaves have fallen naturally, the locals will collect them for processing. This sustainable collection process will not cause physical damage to trees, nor will it lead to deforestation.

The leaves are sterilized, dried, and ground into pulp, which is then made into a thin and durable fiberboard. Craftsmen use high-temperature molds to shape the fiberboard into compostable plates and bowls, and each leaf can make several items. Plates made from palm leaves are completely compostable because they do not require any chemicals or adhesives. 

Starch from various vegetables, especially corn and potatoes, can be used to make compostable bioplastics. These plastics are completely non-toxic and can be decomposed back into carbon dioxide, water and biomass when composted in industrial facilities.

Unlike traditional plastics, bioplastics are not derived from petroleum-based chemicals, which means that their production will not release harmful greenhouse gases that cause climate crisis.

Although grease and food residues can cause serious recycling problems, they are not a problem in the composting process. If you are using compostable plates, don't worry about scraping off the remaining dinner before composting.

How to process the compostable plate depends on its material. Compostable plastics made from vegetable starches can only be completely decomposed at extreme high temperatures, so it is best to send them to industrial composting facilities. If you don’t have them where you live, you must throw them in the trash can. This is why it is important to consider the compost resources in the community before purchasing compostable.

You can compost boards made of bagasse, bamboo, and palm leaves in the backyard compost pile. Since these products are dry brown compost materials, please make sure that your compost contains a lot of green materials to provide moisture. Consider cutting them into small pieces first to speed up the decomposition process. If you do not have your own backyard pile, you can also send these materials to an industrial composter.

Compostable products are not recyclable, so please do not put them in curbside recycling bins. If you can't compost them, throw them away. Organic materials in compostable products can damage recycling equipment, so most recyclers do not accept them.

The organic waste that eventually enters the landfill produces and releases methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas 23 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

Paper trays with no plastic coating on the top can be composted. The packaging usually states whether the boards are suitable for composting or whether they have a plastic coating. 

The compostable board takes approximately 180 days to decompose in a commercial composting facility.

Yes, all compostable items are biodegradable. But not all biodegradable items are compostable.

Biodegradable materials are those that can be decomposed through natural processes, returning their elements to nature. Compostable materials also return their elements to nature, but their elements are organic matter, and when decomposed, they will actively nourish the environment with nutrients.

Whether compostable board is better than recyclable board depends on the compost resources in your area. If you can use industrial composting facilities, composting is a more environmentally friendly option. Otherwise, your compostable plates may end up in a landfill, so recyclables are more environmentally friendly.

Many compostable materials can only be composted in industrial composting facilities, which consume a lot of energy and emit greenhouse gases.

Choosing reusable products to completely reduce waste is always a more environmentally friendly option. Use reusable ceramic plates or plates made of stone, recycled glass, or stainless steel.

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