Biodegradable Portion Pots
There have been great advances recently from companies like Vegware and Biopack in creating plant-based compostable foodservice packaging. They now sell worldwide, and we’re very happy to offer their biodegradable portion pots, made from plants, not plastic, to our UK customers.
The beauty of these biodegradable portion pots is that they’re fully compostable. They’re much better for the planet than oil based plastic, and they can be put in your food waste collection, where it is offered.
Who we are
Single Use Alternatives was founded by Adrian and Neil; two brothers who are passionate about enjoying the outdoors and caring for the environment. Concerned about the impact single use plastics are having upon the environment, we decided to offer a range of cost effective high quality, alternative products.
To find out more about our products simply browse through our website. If you have any questions we’d love to hear from you: please complete the enquiry form on our contact page.
What are our biodegradable portion pots made of?
Both Vegware and Biopack’s biodegradable portion pots are made from PLA; a compostable bioplastic made from plant sugars. PLA (short for polylactic acid) can be made from any sugar, such as corn starch, sugar beet or sugar cane. Usually, it’s made from industrial corn which is a natural non-food product grown in large quantities for alternative fuels, and which has a growing use for PLA. The search is also on for other fibrous non-food crops that can be used as well.
The starch from the corn is extracted by a milling process in the form of glucose, which is fermented to produce lactic acid. In turn, the lactic acid is turned into a polymer, which is then made into resin pellets. These PLA pellets can then be used much like conventional plastic resin, and formed into sheets, film, injection moulded, or spun into fibres.
What’s good about PLA production is that every part of the non-food grade corn is used. There’s no waste and the whole of the plant is harvested.
Less greenhouse gas
Just as important as their biodegradability, the manufacturing process for PLA portion pots produces 80% less greenhouse gases, and it uses approximately 50% less non-renewable energy than it does to create polystyrene.
Add to this that they’re fully compostable in industrial composters, it becomes obvious that making plastic alternatives from renewable, carbon-absorbing plants makes a lot of sense.
Recycling Biodegradable Portion Pots
Both Vegware and Biopack products are designed to be composted in an industrial composting facility alongside food waste. This means that Vegware and Biopack portion pots don’t need to be separated from their food contents; for example a Vegware portion pot with leftover curry sauce inside, can all be thrown into the food waste bin together. When recycling is made easier, it becomes a habit and therefore more effective.
Our portion pot range
We supply different types of portion pots from Vegware and Biopack, in sizes of 30ml, 60ml, 90ml and 140ml. Rest assured that all our Vegware and Biopack portion pot products are completely oil based plastic free and designed to be composted by your local council with other food waste (check locally),. Please note the industrial composting process takes up to 90 days; however home composting will take longer as it depends on the method you use and environmental conditions.