Media

All across the globe, people agree on the truth about plastic polluting and composting as a solution.

How South Korea Is Composting Its Way to Sustainability 
"...But the recycling of organics is arguably more important than that of plastics, metal, or paper. Composting transforms raw organic waste into a humus-like substance that enriches soil and enhances carbon capture. In landfills, starved of oxygen, decomposing organics release methane, a greenhouse gas whose warming effects, in the long run, are fifty-six times those of CO2. The United States has greater landfill emissions than any other country, the equivalent of thirty-seven million cars on the road each year." 

➥ The New Yorker 2020/03/09

How Big Oil and Big Soda Kept a Global Environmental Calamity a Secret for Decades "...Since 1950, the world has created 6.3 trillion kilograms of plastic waste — and 91 percent has never been recycled even once, according to a landmark 2017 study published in the journal Science Advances. Unlike aluminum, which can be recycled again and again, plastic degrades in reprocessing, and is almost never recycled more than once." 
➥ Rolling Stone 2020/03/03

Bioplastics and Biodegradable Plastics “Unlike bioplastics, biodegradable plastics are made of normal (petrochemical) plastics and don't always break down into harmless substances: sometimes they leave behind a toxic residue and that makes them generally (but not always) unsuitable for composting”
➥ Explain That Stuff 2020/02/10

Canada-wide Ban on Many Single-use Plastics on Track for 2021, Minister Says "...there is more than enough evidence proving plastic pollution is harmful. We will be moving towards a ban on harmful single-use plastics and we will be doing that in 2021.” 
➥ Global News 2020/01/30

Plastic (not) Fantastic: Why even biodegradable plastic can still harm the environment “...recent research has revealed supposedly biodegradable plastic bags still intact after three years spent either at sea or buried underground.”
➥ Independent UK 2019/05/15

Tons of Plastic Bags Stockpiled in New Brunswick as Options Are Considered “At Moncton's sorting centre, 16 tonnes of plastic bags arrive each month through the recycling program. Since 2017, the bags have been stockpiled and put away in containers, though the centre is not surprised to hear the waste from some facilities ended up dumped in Southeast Asia.” 

➥ CBC News 2019/10/23

Can Dirt Save The Earth? "...As a carbon-farming tool, compost bears some notable advantages — namely, it works both preventively and correctively. Composting prevents emissions from the starter material — manure, food scraps — that, if allowed to decompose, might emit potent greenhouse gases. (About one-fifth of United States methane emissions comes from food and other organic material decomposing in dumps.) By enhancing plant growth, it also aids in removing carbon from the atmosphere, a corrective process."
➥ New York Times 2018/04/18

Why Those Compostable Straws May Not Be As Green As You Think “Compostable products still end up in landfills, where they do not break down any faster than regular plastic.”
➥ Huffington Post 2018/07/13

Do We Need Biodegradable Plastics “...PLA-based packaging does require a controlled environment in order to break down. The bacteria that decompose the plastic can't do their work unless all oxygen is removed and temperatures reach at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) for 10 consecutive days.”
➥ How Stuff Works