I recently had a chance to check out some truly compostable utensils from TwentyFifty.
Named after the year 2050 - the year the population is projected to reach 10 billion and when it’s estimated that the amount of plastic waste in the ocean will exceed the amount of fish - the brand has one mission: to stop, or at least significantly reduce, plastic pollution. They are doing this with cutlery. The first, and only, compostable alternative to single-use plastic you can compost in your own backyard compost pile.
(The spoon on the left is a current 'compostable' spoon on the market. The spoon - or what's left of it - on the right is a TwentyFifty after just 10 days).
Most brands marketed as compostable are really only compostable in industrial-scale composting facilities that have very high heat. These are designed to not only compost in a month or less, but also provide nutrients to the soil.
There are a few downsides - first of all, they do cost more than traditional plastic utensils. Secondly, they can't be reused - because they break down in water, they can't exactly be washed. Finally, because of the plant material they aren't allergy-friendly. However, one kind of perk - you can technically eat them (they taste like bland chips - the company doesn't recommend eating them, but I had to try). They hold up well while eating - they didn't soften unless I soaked them in water.
If you're looking for a truly compostable alternative to single-use plastics, this is very promising.
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