LEARN
OUR STANDARDS ARE FUTURE-PROOF
Retailers and consumers alike are preparing for Styrofoam, Polystyrene and other plastic bans that are increasingly being enforced throughout North America. Several U.S. states and municipalities have already passed legislature as of February 2020, and Canada will ban many single-use plastics in the Foodservice industry by the end of 2021. These efforts will invariably end the use of plastic grocery bags, plastic straws and stir sticks, six-pack rings, plastic cutlery and take-out containers made from hard or recycled plastics. The bans also include most bioplastics, which cannot be composted at home as they are indistinguishable from plastic and often removed from the compost stream. Always looking to the future, Greenlid offers a plastic-free solution.
OUR PRODUCTS DO NOT USE FLUORINATED CHEMICALS
PFAs (poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances) are chemicals that are added to food packaging to provide grease and water resistance. A close relative of Teflon, PFAs and other fluorinated chemicals are considered “forever chemicals” and accumulate in the environment. Greenlid does not add these types of fluorinated chemicals to our products, unlike many other molded fiber tableware and foodservice products.
Since these chemicals can permeate food, air, soil and water, they pose a growing threat to our health. PFAs exposure has been linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease and fertility issues. As research on these chemicals intensifies, it’s widely believed that more maladies will be linked.
The scrutiny on PFAs is finally reaping some real-world changes. BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) has implemented a new standard for restricting PFAS from its certification, allowing no more than 100 ppm of fluorine. Additionally, many big name brands have committed to removing PFAs from their packaging, but will not achieve their goal until at least 2025. By choosing Greenlid, you don’t have to wait.
THE STORY BEHIND OUR MATERIALS
We know that a lot of people are open to changing their buying habits. They’re looking for reasons to make the switch to more natural products but find themselves greenwashed by what’s currently available on the market.
Our mandate is to make sure that anyone interested in our products has full disclosure regarding what they’re buying as well as how they’re making an impact by choosing honest, raw products. So we bring you the story behind each material we’ve chosen to use across our entire line of products:
BAMBOO
Bamboo is one of the most – if not the most – sustainable materials nature has to offer. It comes from the grass family and grows at a surprisingly fast rate. Some bamboo can grow between two to three feet in a 24-hour period! Since less area is required to harvest bamboo, the surrounding (and often endangered) habitat remains untouched.
PLANT FIBER
The plant fiber used in our plates and
lids is raw material obtained after wheat and bamboo have been harvested.
The strong, fibrous stalks are molded
into plates, bowls, cups and other products. The products created from
this process are 100% biodegradable
and compostable. Unlike paper
products, our plates and bowls don’t require the cutting down of trees.
WHEAT
After harvesting the grain, the wheat stalk is normally disposed of in compost facilities or landfills. By fashioning the natural wheat stalk into a replacement for plastic straws, we reduce both wheat and plastic waste. No additives or processing is required with natural wheat stalks.
BIRCH
In our search for materials with the strength to cut food while remaining compostable (and affordable), we
chose sustainably grown birch. Birch trees are an abundant and relatively fast-growing hardwood species that cause minimal destruction of biodiversity when cut down. Birch is a sustainable and durable choice that has less impact on the environment than alternative hardwoods, which have lengthier growing periods.
RECYCLED CARDBOARD
End-of-life recycled cardboard is cardboard that has been recycled
so many times that the fibers are shortened and have limited ability to
be made into high-end paper products. Often, they are accidentally sent to landfills. By collecting this end-of-life cardboard, putting it into a large
blender and adding water as well as
our bio-based additive, we form it
into our Greenlid shape.
PALM LEAF
The palm leaf production process does not involve any chemicals, additives, synthetic material or strengthening agents. It is a 100% chemical-free
product. Palm leaf plates and bowls
are made from fallen dry leaves, which
are otherwise wasted, sent to
landfills or composted.
