Sun Chips claims to have made the "world's first 100% compostable chip package". I'd really like to believe them.
Packaging that will fully decompose when we're done using it is a great idea. We all know about the plastic water bottle trash heaps and the sad ducks with soda packaging rings stuck around their necks. But I just found out that even the biodegradable plastic bottles that Coca Cola was so stoked about are not going to fully degrade back into their natural elements: These bottles just break down into very tiny plastic pieces so you don't see the waste.
How is this Sun Chips packaging different? Their website claims that "Every 10 ½ oz. SunChips® package is designed to fully break down in just 14 weeks when placed in a hot, active compost bin or pile." So not only does the bag break down into tiny pieces, but it is breaking down into tiny pieces of organic material that will become nutrient-rich composted soil. This is not just recycling or reducing waste... this is actually eliminating it, and putting it right back where it came from!
The bag is made from a starch-based material called PLA (Polyactic Acid), which is why it can be composted. Unlike the petroleum that most plastic is made from, PLA is a renewable resource because it's made out of plants which can be grown year after year. This material makes up the printed outside part of the bag, the interior that touches the food, and even the seal that keeps it airtight. A bag made from this material is rigid and crunchy because it doesn't relax at room temperature the way a classic chemical chip bag has been engineered to do.
It just so happens that I have 14 weeks and a hot, active compost bin (that's what she said..?). I cut the bag into pieces this morning and added them to the bin, so let the count down to 14 weeks begin!
Do you think it will work?(Do you like my awesome countdown clock?!)