Biodegradable - means that the products break down through a naturally occurring microorganism, such as fungi or bacteria over a period of time. Biodegradable products are usually made from plant or animal sources. Biodegradable products can create methane, a greenhouse gas with 62 times the Global Warming Potential of carbon dioxide when dumped into landfills. Also, biodegradable waste may contain toxins.

Compostable plastics mean that the products must be able to break down into; carbon dioxide, water, and biomass at the same rate as paper. Also, the broken down product should not produce any toxic material and should be able to support plant life. Compostable products are usually made from plant materials. Because biodegradable is used loosely with no legal enforced definition, compostability is more desirable for disposable products.

PLA stands for Polylactic acid and is made from corn starch. Regular plastic is made from petroleum that is a pollutant and has toxins; while PLA is derived from corn based resin, which is non-toxic and a renewable resource. PLA is both 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable

Big Green Head Translates:

• Compostable is better than biodegradable
• PLA (corn based) is better than plastic