Worth the read. If you've seen these products in the real world, post a comment. There doesn't seem to be any reason not to buy these "greener" items.
Ecologically correct diners buy biodegradable plates
| Updated 8/3/2006 8:33 AM ET |
It's one thing to eat organic. It's another to do it with plates, cups and cutlery made of biodegradable material such as cornstarch, potatoes and limestone.
As organic food goes mainstream — Wal-Mart (WMT) has plans to become the world's largest seller — consumers are seeking eco-friendly eating implements.
"It's the trickle-down theory of environmental eating," says Paul Rauber, senior editor at Sierra magazine. "Maybe people sense a disconnect between eating organic sandwiches off Styrofoam plates."
Now there's dinnerware that disappears in a compost pile as organic matter, water and carbon dioxide within 180 days. If disposed of in a plastic trash bag, it takes up far less landfill space than foam or cardboard.
Spurring demand are eco-concerns, as well as prices that can match or undercut plastic ware. Mainstream stores from Sam's Club to Walgreens (WAG) sell it.
The NatureWorks unit of Cargill — which produces a resin from corn sugar to make such products — posted triple-digit sales growth for the past two years, spokeswoman Ann Tucker says.
This is changing the $30 billion global market for paper and plastic disposables. Sales of eco-friendly plates, cups and cutlery could top $500 million in 2006 and $1 billion by 2008, says Frederic Scheer, founder of the Biodegradable Products Institute. A few years ago, the market barely existed, he says.
Among the eco-friendly goods:
•Plates. Eco-dinnerware from EarthShell (ERTH), including plates and bowls, hit shelves at some Sam's Club and Wegman's this spring.
At $1.50 for a pack of 25 plates, they cost the same as high-quality disposable plates, says CEO Vincent Truant says. "People prefer a product from a Midwest cornfield than a Middle Eastern oil field," he says.
•Cups. Three years ago Fabri-Kal launched a line of 100% compostable cups made from corn resin. Sales of the line have grown about 70% annually, says John Kittredge, marketing chief.
•Cutlery. Retailers from Whole Foods to Walgreens sell Nat-Ur cutlery made from corn. The brand is from Cereplast (CERP), a large producer of biodegradable resins. A pack of 24 pieces sells for $1.50 — similar to plastic ware, says Scheer, CEO of Cereplast.
"Composting isn't fringe any more," says brand consultant Steven Addis. "It's one of the quickest cultural flips I've ever seen."
But Sierra's Rauber warns that biodegradables won't make you the "greenest" picnicker. Most eco-friendly: bring reusable plates and wash 'em at home.
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