a) Per Metro it does NOT break down in our landfills on its own - nothing does, for they are huge, and anaerobic, and even newspapers have been found in old landfills from over 100 years ago, still legible and intact after all this time. Yum. Strike 1.
b) Even if it did break down in a landfill, it would emit methane gas in the process, which is many times worse than regular carbon dioxide for global warming. Strike 2. (Talk to residents of Kivalina, AK about whether global warming is real - they're having to move to the mainland due to erosion from it and are suing Exxon Mobile et al because of it. I hope they win).
c) It will break down - but only under the right circumstances and these are very, very limited at the moment. (It will not break down in your home compost system without a lot of extra processing and work to shred them up and keep the pile hot enough). Currently, there is only one commercial composting facility in the Pacific Northwest taking this stuff - and only certain kinds of it from certain restaurants (not the public) after testing to see if it breaks down within 60 days, which is their minimum standard. Kelly at Metro (503-234-3000) told me that not all of the #7 PLA products pass. So again, as average consumers, we have no way to know if what we're submitting will break down. Nor do we have a regular place to submit it. Strike 3. (At this point, you're out in my book, but there's more;).
d) Per Far West who actually deals with it now, it gums up normal plastics recycling facilities, as it has a lower melt-point than all the other petroleum based plastics we can and do recycle currently. This happens during the drying process after they've sorted and washed everything - not pretty. (It goes under high heat blast dryers on conveyer belts). Strike 4.
e) Growing corn is itself a rather fuel-intensive activity, from the actual farming to the fertilizing (it's a heavy feeder) and transporting of the product to the processing facilities. Whether used in bio-diesel (already), or this new solid product, corn is actually quite energy intensive to produce, even if it lowers our security threat from need for overseas oil imports. Also, putting more land under tillage for corn releases as much or more carbon than it removes. (Untilled land sequesters carbon). It also artificially inflates food prices, as demand for corn soars. So we're both releasing more carbon, and consuming more to produce this crop and product. Strike 5.
Convinced to avoid corn products? Good. What can you do about it? Try to avoid buying it! Although Burgerville is using it in their restaurants now, and succesfully commercially composting it - with monitoring and testing to make sure it works. But no, we should not take our store-bought PLA to them, as there are different grades. How to identify it? It can be hard. It's often labeled with "PLA" , so that's easy - just remove these containers to either throw away, or return to the store where you bought them to ask them what to do with them:) (Thus encouraging them to not buy such products). But others are only labeled #7 (which just means "all other plastics that are not 1-6"), and can't always be distinguished from petroleum based #7's. Or, not labeled at all. Yes, this is a growing problem. (Literally).
Sorry I don't have any easy answers for you on this one - other than to try to identify the producers and companies using the products, and write them and beg them to desist;). (Just say no to corn). Seriously. And try like mad not to buy any of these products. This goes in hand with trying to reduce consumption altogether - I keep bringing re-usable containers to buy items in bulk as much as possible. (Sugar, salt, flour, etc.). I try to buy my veggies loose from farmer's markets, until the winter, I switch to the unpackaged veggies at New Seasons. Yes, a little spendy, but you know what? The more of us that do this, the cheaper it will get. (New Seasons has rejected all PLA packaging by the way - good on them;).
I'll continue pursuing info on this as I can, and keep you all updated here. Just when we thought it was simple. Sorry - but life is what happens while we're busy making other plans.
PS One other odd note - I'm working on finding who can take and/or re-use those metallic crinkly plastic bags used for computer parts (e.g. hard drives and sound cards come in them). I think Free Geek may, but I'm still confirming this. Far West cannot take them - they contain metal which set off sensors in their facilities. So no, I don't believe they can just go to Portland Recycling either for this reason. Best for now is to reuse them as much as possible, but I understand, that only goes so far, especially for the average home PC user.
The latest on
Recycling in Portland
10/30/08
(Per the good people at Metro among others, who know what's up!)ALL recycling systems require bottles, tubs and cans to be rinsed, empty, with no lids. And NO PLASTIC BAGS IN CURBSIDE/APARTMENT RECYCLING AT ALL .Plastic bags must be returned to grocery stores or recycled separately (in mass) at an appropriate depot. (See below). Do not drop off bags of bottles or plastics in any recycling system. The bags gum up the works and cause loads to be tossed. (Nor leave plastic bags or film mixed in, same problem).
In general our curbside/apartment recycling is rather limited. That's why I've researched and listed the many other great other outlets for recycling many more items than curbside can take. I.e, if in doubt, leave it out of your curbside system, and take it to one of the many facilities listed below (e.g. Far West Fibers, Portland Recycling, Total Reclaim, etc.) I've tried to make it as simple as possible.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Current Portland 2 bin Curbside/apartment Recycling CAN take:
(NO LIDS ON ANY CONTAINERS PLEASE, MUST ALL BE EMPTY AND CLEAN)
A) In separate glass bin only:
Only glass bottles and jars:must keep in separate bin from all other recyclables. Empty, clean, no lids. Also, no light bulbs, lamps, etc. Just jars and bottles from the kitchen. (Take fluorescent and high intensity flood light bulbs to Metro hazardous waste recycling centers. Normal light bulbs can apparently go to Total Reclaim in NE Portland according to Metro Oct 29, 2008).
B) In co-mingled rollout recycling bins:
Plastic bottles and tubs (no lids): bottles with a screw neck top, empty (clean) margarine or yogurt type tubs (No’s 1, 2 and 5 only). NO clamshell food containers (#6). AND NO OTHER PLASTICS WHATSOEVER. (E.g. toys, hangers, lids). All bottles and tubs must be clean, empty, NO LIDS. NO BAGS. (See below for where to take lids and other plastics). You can recycle empty laundry detergent bottles here.
Paper: Newspaper, magazines, and office paper and junk mail. (Envelopes with glassine windows are okay). NO NAPKINS OR TISSUES (this belongs in garbage, or compost). Please enclose shredded paper in a paper bag for ease of handling at facilities. (This is the only time you may contain something in any bag, and it must be paper). No foil lined paper. (e.g. metallic gift wrap).Staples okay. No paper clips. No food-contaminated or waxed containers either. (E.g. no frozen food boxes, or paper coffee cups with waxy insides. These can be composted under proper conditions but are too contaminated for normal paper recycling).
Steel and tin cans: (e.g. soup cans) clean, no lables, flatten as able, and tuck clean lids inside for safety. (I find squishing the top end of the cans with rounded bottoms to help in removing the label, and saving a little space). Clean aluminum foil also okay.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ALL OTHER RECYCLING:
Call Metro at 503-234-3000 or see www.metro-region.org to keep up on latest recycling outlets for MANY other items including STYROFOAM, ELECTRONICS, batteries and hazardous wastes (old paint, cleaners, fluorescent light bulbs)..
Far West Fibers takes virtually everything except styrofoam and hazardous wastes, and are one of the cheapest and easiest to get to. (Depot at SE 17th and Holgate). This includes ALL RIGID PLASTICS except styrofoam and now PLA #7 (these corn-based plastics). I.e, all the plastic lids, toys, hangers, clean clamshell food containers, other tubs, etc. that the curbside/apartment system does not take (except PLA:). Must be clean. (Apparently Portland Recycling Centers do too (website below) - I just haven't made it there yet, so can't vouch for them yet, but hopefully soon. I've got a bag of crinkly type plastic film saved up to take there, which Far West can't take).
Styorfoam: Total Reclaim on NE 60th and Columbia - $5/car or truck load. Must be clean. Can take clean meat packaging trays. www.totalreclaim.com
Computers and related items (printers, scanners, mice, keyboards): Free Geek www.freegeek.org (SE 10th and Mill, just south of Hawthorne). Reasonable fees apply.
Televisions and electronics: Bear eCycling on SE 63rd just south of Foster (tucked behind the small nursery store) takes ALL ELECTRONICS EXCEPT anything with freon coolant like Fridges and AC's. Far West does take these. This includes TV's, microwaves, blenders, remotes, toasters, batteries, etc. Basically, if it runs, ran, or ran something electronically, he can take it. There are reasonable fees charged for handling all items. Call for more info: 503-788-2235. www.bearecycling.com. Run by Oso Martin, founder of Free Geek, and fellow rabid responsible elecronics recycler. (He keeps toxics from going overseas for improper disposal). Don't forget you can get a government coupon good for $40 off an analog to digital aerial TV converter box to upgrade old analong TV's if you can't afford cable or a new digital TV.
Find additional info and responsible recycling outlets at:
www.metro-region.org (see “Find a Recycler” under Garbage and Recycling links on left side)
www.farwestfibers.com (take all rigid plastics besides styrofoam, plus much more)
www.portlandrecyclingcenters.com (takes all but styro, plus other crinkly plastic films besides stretchy #2 and 4)
www.enviromom.com (has updates on many ways to reduce, reuse, recycle in Portland)
www.masterrecycler.org (has updates on periodic local Plastics Roundups in Portland area that take all but styro)
www.totalreclaim.com (takes styrofoam in NE Portland - yay:) $5/load
www.buyworms.com for a good local source of red worms for vermicomposting
