Recyclable Plastic Storage Boxes
If you haven’t spotted our new range of plastic Nick Nack storage boxes yet they went onto our STORE shelves a few days ago. These neat little plastic boxes have a bigger story to tell than perhaps is offered at first sight. Apart from being a great little storage box for all those trinkets and bits & bobs that always seem to clutter-up your drawers, they’re actually made from the world’s first 100% biodegradable plastic. Each storage box is manufactured from a combination of polymer and corn starch which when disposed of in compost or soil will TOTALLY biodegrade in 6 – 9 months. Still not convinced? Here’s the science bit:
To create our new plastic storage boxes, naturally occurring bacteria are fed sugar that is obtained from corn starch. The bugs digest the sugar and store the resulting PHBV polymer much as the human body would store fat. The “fat” is then extracted and becomes an injection mouldable polymer called poly-3-hydroxy butyrate-co-valerate…a derivative of the molecule that Forbes magazine declared “one of the five molecules that will change the world.”…and guess what, it was first developed right here in Blighty in the late 1980s
Tags: storage box
Hi,
Just wondering how many washes, for example, could these boxes endure?
Any stats on congealed energy/ carbon per box?
These stats would help our case to source such boxes for commercial reasons.
Thanks, L
Hi Linda,
Thanks for your questions on our new biodegradable plastic storage boxes. The boxes require exposure to bacteria in the soil so they won’t deteriorate with ordinary use, washing etc. They are also great at high temperatures up to 110 degrees C.
Ref carbon per box…Mmmmm not sure, good question, I know that as a PHBV they’re pretty much completely sustainable but not sure of the energy used in production of the storage boxes post feeding bacteria the corn starch sugar. I’ll try find out for you.
Hope this helps
Simon