Equipment for the production of disposable tableware from straw. Eco-ware from wheat straw

From time to time, each of us uses disposable tableware. Some do it almost every day (take at least coffee cups from vending machines), others do it from time to time, for example, at picnics.

Supporters of disposable tableware say: "It's cheap and convenient!". Opponents: "She's polluting the environment!" We will say the following: “Use disposable bioware!”. This article is dedicated to her.

We have been planning to write about biodishes for a long time, but somehow we still couldn’t communicate with people who could tell in a simple and understandable way what kind of product this is.

And so, at the Wellness Expo 2014 exhibition, we met Geovita, a wholesale supplier of biodegradable tableware and packaging. From its representatives, we learned about all the advantages of bioplastics. We share useful information with you.

What is dangerous ordinary plastic

Researchers from different countries do not stop talking about the dangers of using plastic dishes. There are several reasons for this, let's name the main ones.

First, disposable plastic utensils contain potentially hazardous substances. When some foods (especially hot food) come into contact with plastic, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in the release of toxins that enter our body along with food.

Their accumulation in the body does not bode well - among the possible consequences, scientists call various forms of allergies, metabolic disorders, reproductive function, hormonal disruptions.

Secondly, plastic negatively affects the environment. The period of its decomposition under natural conditions reaches several hundred years - and all this time harmful substances are released into the water and soil.

In addition, plastic poses a danger to living beings: birds, fish, taking particles of plastic that have entered the environment as food, eat them, which often causes the death of animals.

What are plastic utensils made of?

Ordinary disposable plastic tableware is made from three main materials: polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polypropylene. Let's consider each of them separately.

1. Polystyrene (PS)- white plastic, suitable only for cold food products. If hot drinks are poured into such dishes, styrene toxin is released, the same happens when heated in the oven or microwave.

2. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC/PVC)- one of the most dangerous for human health. When interacting with other substances, it actively releases vinyl chloride, which is a carcinogen.

3. Polypropylene (PP)- most often it is from it that coffee cups are made from vending machines. Dishes made of polypropylene are able to withstand high temperatures without changing their properties and without causing harm to health.

Minus - it is easily amenable to chemical influences. It is strictly forbidden to use it for alcoholic beverages and storage of fatty substances, such as sunflower or butter.

Interacting with such products, polypropylene is destroyed, while releasing formaldehyde and phenol.

Read more about the dangers of these types of plastic on the Geovita website.

Alternative: biodegradable plastics and their benefits

Oil, coal, natural gas - it is from these non-renewable natural resources that 99% of all polymers and plastics are made today. And this despite the fact that back in the middle of the last century, the process of obtaining polymers from plant materials was invented.

But if then the method turned out to be unpopular - due to the high cost and high labor costs, now the production of plastic from renewable resources, on the contrary, is gaining momentum.

The explanation is simple: oil reserves are not unlimited, and for the environment, the manufacture of plastic from plant materials is much safer.

So, let's name the main advantages of bioplastic dishes:

Safe for the environment. The decomposition period of bioplastics is about 180 days (according to GOST), while the plastics of hydrocarbon raw materials decompose in the natural environment up to several hundred years.

Non toxic. The process of production and degradation of traditional plastics involves the release of toxic substances into the environment. In this regard, bioplastics are safe for nature and humans.

Helps reduce air emissions. The extraction of raw materials does not require the development of fossil fuel deposits, and during production, harmful compounds and greenhouse gases are practically not emitted.

Easier to recycle. Bioplastic recycling is more efficient and less energy intensive than conventional plastics.

Wide operating temperature range. Bioplastic allows the safe storage of food in the freezer, as well as heating food in the oven and microwave.

The convenience of use. Cookware made of bioplastic is strong, light and comfortable.

Bioware from everything: plant materials

You will be surprised, but disposable tableware today is made from the most unexpected materials. At the same time, its quality is significantly higher than that of ordinary plastic utensils based on hydrocarbon raw materials.

Lunch boxes, storage containers, food pads, plates, glasses, cutlery are made from bioplastics - all this can be used for catering, picnics, restaurants, fast food outlets, schools, etc.

Let's name the most common types of plant raw materials used for the production of bioware.

Corn starch dishes

It is corn starch that is today one of the most popular types of vegetable raw materials used for the production of bioware.

This is due to the properties of the material: complete biodegradability, environmental safety, no toxins, resistance to very low and high temperatures, grease and water resistance.

In addition, food can be stored in such dishes for a longer time compared to analogues made of ordinary plastic. Outwardly, cornstarch dishes are similar to food plastic, but are more pleasant to the touch, more elastic, and have a light cream shade.

Wheat straw dishes

Such dishes look very natural - you immediately understand that in front of you is not ordinary plastic, but eco-friendly. And in terms of properties, dishes made of wheat straw are hardly inferior to the one we talked about above.

The same high temperature resistance, the absence of toxins and, as a result, safety for health and the environment.

Sugar cane utensils

More precisely, it is a bioware made from bagasse, the fibrous remains of sugar cane that remain after squeezing juice from it.

Characteristics: durable, resistant to deformation, easier to dispose of (can be used as compost in the country), resistant to temperature extremes, has high moisture resistance, breathable, does not emit carcinogens when in contact with food and released into the environment.

Sugarcane tableware has a white color, the material is similar to paper, pleasant to the touch.

bamboo fiber utensils

Bamboo tableware, which has a bright design (dyes are extracted from vegetables and plants), may well replace glass and ceramic.

It is light, durable, environmentally friendly, safe for nature and human health, both during use and after disposal. In addition, the production method does not involve chemical processing: leaves, bark, bamboo shoots are pressed to give them the desired shape, after which they harden.

Bamboo tableware has antimicrobial properties, is resistant to temperature extremes and will last a very long time with careful use and proper care.

Where to buy bioware?

In our country, bioware has not yet become widespread. But that doesn't mean it can't be bought. On the contrary, there are enthusiasts, such as Geovita, who bring this curiosity to the Russian market.

You can buy bioware in large supermarkets: Azbuka Vkusa, Globus Gourmet, Green Crossroads, Super Babylon. According to representatives of Geovita, the list of points of sale will be constantly expanding.

Disposable eco-friendly bio-tableware (biodegradable tableware) is a new eco-trend among catering establishments and food delivery companies. The eco-friendly and unique natural texture of the material gives any dish a natural appearance, and among visitors the institution receives the status of caring for the environment and the health of its customers, which has a positive effect on the image.

Plant-based bio-tableware technology has been around for decades, but its large-scale production has only recently begun, and the market for organic products is expanding rapidly. This is due to the high technical characteristics of bio-tableware, the absence of any harmful substances and ease of disposal. One of the reasons for the active use of bio products is the possibility of cleaning the planet from plastic waste, as well as the depletion of natural resources - oil, which is the raw material for the manufacture of plastic utensils. The production of bio-tableware (biodegradable tableware) is made by molding.

Disposable Bio-tableware made from corn starch

Tableware and packaging based on vegetable corn raw materials is a 100% biodegradable material in the soil, which after a few months, with the help of microorganisms, is converted into water and carbon dioxide and does not require further disposal. Safety, biodegradability, absence of harmful substances are the advantages of real eco-ware! Tableware made from biodegradable material can completely replace products made from polymers made from non-renewable natural raw materials - gas and oil. In appearance and density, they are similar, but bio-tableware is much more pleasant to the touch and has no smell. Such bioware:
- fat and waterproof;
- suitable for both microwave oven and freezing;
- retains the properties of food products for a longer time.

Disposable Bio-tableware made from sugarcane

Dishes and packaging made from the fibrous residues of sugar cane after squeezing the juice (bagasse) out of it fully complies with all the requirements and technical characteristics for food-grade plastic products, in many ways even surpassing them. Sugar cane utensils can be easily disposed of in the soil in just a few months without harming the environment and can even be used as compost. The range of sugarcane tableware includes a huge variety of snow-white items, such as: eco glasses, eco plates, eco lunch boxes, eco containers and much more. Bio-tableware made from sugarcane is by far the best alternative to environmentally friendly and harmless packaging for groceries and fast food.

Disposable Bio-tableware made from wheat straw

Millet-based products are distinguished by the possibility of using them as secondary raw materials, as well as high heat resistance, which makes it possible to use dishes both for transportation and storage in freezers, and for heating in a microwave oven, in household or industrial convection ovens. The products are completely safe for human health and can be used to store food for children. Bio-ware from wheat straw has a beautiful color, natural natural shades and a pleasant texture.

Reusable Bio-tableware made of bamboo fiber

Bamboo fiber dishes are ready to replace glass and ceramic dishes, thanks to the bright design and properties of natural bamboo. The main qualities of bamboo fiber dishes are natural beauty, environmental friendliness and lightness. The natural component is more than 99%, and the bright color is added by extracting from colorful vegetables and plants. Products made from this material have antimicrobial properties, are resistant to temperature changes and are ready to serve you for many years.

Buy bio-ware in Krasnoyarsk

A broken plate or mug, once in a landfill, will not harm the environment, but will decompose there for centuries. Alternatively, you can use biodegradable tableware made from bamboo, corn starch, wheat straw and sugar cane. The way to dispose of it is no more complicated than a rotten apple - in a couple of months in a compost pit, such a plate will turn into a useful fertilizer. Recycle figured out the varieties of eco-ware and collected ten of the most interesting options.

Frybest from bamboo

Bamboo fiber utensils are very light, durable, do not absorb moisture, odors and decompose in a couple of months if thrown into compost. All items are heat-resistant and can withstand both very cold and high temperatures - up to 70 ° C. Tableware inhibits the growth of microbes - test results showed that more than 70% of microorganisms placed on the surface of bamboo dishes were naturally destroyed.

Manufacturer: South Korea

Ecoplant from sugar

All plates and glasses are made from sugar, which is obtained from corn, wheat and sugar cane. Bright dishes are natural, safe and pleasant to the touch. It can be washed in the dishwasher, put in the refrigerator and used in the microwave. On the site you can order colorful cups, cutlery, bowls or a jug set and trays. There are special sets for children Toy car for boys and Girl & Pets for girls.

Manufacturer: China

Corn brandani

Italian dishes are made from the smallest fraction of bamboo with the addition of corn by vacuum pressing under pressure. An ideal option for those who appreciate environmentally friendly, safe and at the same time beautiful materials. Bamboo utensils, when they hit the ground, completely decompose in two months, without releasing hazardous chemicals into the environment. Only a part of the products are presented in Moscow stores: coffee and tea pairs, trays and dishes for snacks.

Manufacturer: Italy

Pine Kupilka

Practical eco-friendly tableware with a traditional design - KUPILKA made from a composite of natural pine fibers. The dishes do not require special care, do not absorb odors and are insensitive to moisture. Very light, great for travel. The biomaterial is recyclable and is sold in a stylish recycled cardboard packaging or wooden box. There are no official distributors in Russia, but the dishes are easy to find on Ebay.

Manufacturer: Finland

EcoPanda Pro in bamboo

For the production of dishes, natural, environmentally friendly material is used - pure bamboo fiber, so once in the ground, it completely decomposes. The EcoPandaPro range includes moisture-resistant plates, glasses, a salad bowl and bowls in cheerful colors. Bamboo dishes are available in sets of three identical items (except for salad bowl) packed in a recycled cardboard box.

Manufacturer: China

Starch Vegetable Baby

Vegetable Baby tableware is made from environmentally friendly corn starch-based biopolymer with a biodegradability of several months. Such kits do not contain biphenol A, dioxins, and other compounds that can lead to endocrine disorders and are indispensable when feeding children. The utensils are not suitable for use in a microwave oven.

Manufacturer: South Korea

Picneco from cane, starch, wheat and wood

For picnics and outdoor events with a large number of guests, the ideal option is disposable tableware made from biodegradable materials: corn starch, wheat straw, sugar cane and wood. It is more durable than paper and is not inferior in properties to plastic - you can serve hot dishes in it, freeze and store food at a low temperature. Picneco's disposable tableware range is endless, with cutlery, sectional plates, glasses, and even burger boxes.

Manufacturer: Russia

Green Toys made from recycled plastic

Although the products of the American brand Green Toys do not decompose for several months, we still decided to include them in our review of eco-tableware. Using recycled plastic and cardboard for packaging in the production, the company follows its mission - to be the most reliable and transparent supplier of environmentally and socially friendly toys and tableware for children in the world. The utensils are made from food-grade 100% recycled plastic.

Manufacturer: China

Starbucks made from recyclable plastic

Starbucks is also on a mission to reduce the use of single-use packaging in order to conserve forests. An alternative to iconic paper cups is thermoformed from virgin polypropylene. In every coffee shop you can buy fully recyclable reusable cups, and also get a discount on coffee. The company guarantees that the glass will pay for itself after ten uses.

Manufacturer: China

Ceramic Eco Cup

A handy mug for takeaway coffee lovers, but made not of paper, but of ceramics. The beautiful eco-friendly cup can withstand temperatures up to 230 degrees, it can be repeatedly used in the dishwasher and microwave.

In Ukraine, another startup is booming, aimed at reducing the number of products that are dangerous to the environment. This time, promising businessmen paid attention to plastic disposable tableware, or rather, the possibility of producing its analogues. To bring the idea to life, they are separated by the smallest thing - the need to build a special factory for disposable tableware and purchase an innovative line for the production of disposable eco-tableware. While our neighbors have a court case, Russia has already launched the production of such products. Tells "Zeus-Group".

The idea of ​​​​producing environmentally friendly dishes

Vitaliy Koval is a young businessman from Kyiv. He already has his own small business, but now he has set his sights on a serious startup that requires considerable investment. He plans to launch his own disposable tableware factory, and not just any, but environmentally friendly tableware. It will be a complete alternative to plastic plates and cups, which the market is flooded with today, as well as landfills. Such disposable eco-ware absolutely does not harm the environment, and when disposed of, it decomposes into harmless components within a matter of weeks, turning into fertilizer.

As the author of the idea himself says, he was inspired by his native landscapes to produce ecological dishes. During his frequent trips around the country, he sees how much straw after grain harvesting is left to simply rot in the fields, not being used in any way. And this is one of the main types of raw materials for the production of disposable eco-tableware. In addition, the gradual abandonment of harmful plastic containers will improve the environmental situation in the country.

Technology for the production of disposable eco-tableware

If we remove all the details and turn to the very essence of the technology, then disposable eco-ware is obtained by soaking straw, evaporating moisture and pressing the remaining material, by giving it the desired shape.
Vitaliy Koval, along with straw, plans to process potato starch, sunflower husks and other natural materials to produce environmentally friendly dishes.

This requires a modern disposable tableware factory with special equipment. According to the businessman, he has already found a company that is ready to supply the complete production line for only $300,000. Another 200 thousand will be required for the construction of the plant itself, the arrangement of the land plot, the adjacent territory and the connection of the facility to communications.

The production line will grind the raw material to a homogeneous consistency, and then make a plastic, harmless mass from it. It is she who will be used to fill the molds and produce environmentally friendly dishes.

The entrepreneur plans to seek money from investors, offering them a share of the shares of the future enterprise in return.

Ecological tableware in Russia

While in Ukraine, disposable ecological tableware is just a dream of a startup, in Russia it is a very real product that is in demand by many customers.

This is absolutely the same utensils as plastic - light, strong enough, withstanding low and high temperatures, having a low cost and aesthetic appearance. Therefore, they accepted the novelty well, without even delving into the details. And the fact that it is environmentally friendly dishes has become just one more of its indisputable advantages. Disposable eco-ware from straw turns out a little darker, and ecological dishes from starch - a little lighter. In all other respects, it is a uniformly colored monophonic product without any unsightly inclusions. By the way, suitable for applying company logos.

Top best examples of eco-friendly tableware

Disposable tableware factories and simply environmentally friendly developments have long ceased to produce just dishes. In the arsenal of every major company there is, if not a product line, then at least one concept model of an original and bright eco-friendly tableware. Zeus-Group cites only a few of them as interesting examples.

South Korea introduces bamboo tableware

Under the Frybest brand, very bright and stylish dishes are produced. The collection contains a variety of items that can only be imagined in a modern kitchen. The dishes can be used an unlimited number of times, and if you dispose of them by throwing them into compost, they will turn into fertilizer in a couple of months.

China introduces sugar dishes

This is a full-fledged environmentally friendly dish that can be used like ordinary porcelain plates: pour hot soup into them, heat in the microwave, freeze, wash in the dishwasher. At the same time, the design remains on top - these are bright and attractive items needed in the kitchen, there are even specially designed children's collections.

Italy introduces corn dishes

Ecological tableware made from corn has a very interesting texture. If you look very carefully, you can see individual inclusions of small particles. The material for all items is a homogeneous mass, which is prepared from bamboo and corn, and then pressed into molds under high pressure. Elegant outlines, pleasant colors, interesting solutions.

Finland introduces pine tableware

Only for its manufacture, not a whole tree is used, but a special mass consisting of crushed pine fibers. Thanks to this, all objects are very elegant, durable, and have a wide variety of shapes and outlines. Such dishes are absolutely environmentally friendly, have a small weight and do not require special care.

Even well-known retail chains and fast food companies operating in the take-away format have picked up the baton of using disposable eco-tableware. Starbucks, for example, has ditched iconic paper cups to save forests. Customers are now offered a thermoformed reusable plastic cup made from 100% recyclable material.

The future of disposable eco-tableware in Russia

For the first time, Russians, and then the inhabitants of the USSR, learned about disposable tableware a little more than 30 years ago. Guests from other countries who came to Moscow for the Olympics brought with them the technological innovations of a civilized society - disposable paper cups. Kvass from barrels, drinks in buffets and cafeterias began to be offered in dishes unusual for a Soviet person.
They took it apart with pleasure, used it for its intended purpose, but then, instead of an urn, they carried it home to wash it and continue to use it. When the Olympics died down, many discoveries and revelations again had to be forgotten for an indefinite period. So disposable tableware returned to us only after 10 years and has already firmly entered everyday life.

It is no longer possible to part with it again, even for the sake of improving the environmental situation. Therefore, the only option is to gradually replace, as it turned out, harmful plastic disposable tableware, both for human health and the environment, with safe, environmentally friendly dishes.