What Are Disposable Degradable Lunch Boxes Made Of? Pulp Molded, Corn Starch and PLA Explained

As bans and restrictions on plastics tighten around the world, plastic-free or degradable alternatives are increasingly seen as the inevitable path forward. Conventional plastics are still largely disposed of through incineration, sending substantial greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Disposable degradable lunch boxes, by contrast, are buried in soil for degradation; the carbon dioxide they produce goes directly into soil organic matter or is absorbed by plants, instead of entering the air, so it does not create a greenhouse effect.

Here is a look at the main disposable degradable lunch boxes currently available on the market.

1. Pulp molded lunch boxes (plant fiber molded tableware)

Pulp molded tableware offers clear advantages in the shift away from plastics. For raw materials, pulp molded disposable lunch boxes are made from plant fibers such as wheat straw and bagasse, with no PP material added. They are formed using the pulp molding wet-press process, and food-grade additives including water- and oil-repellent agents are incorporated into the pulp so the containers can hold hot and cold foods.

Plant fiber degradable lunch boxes are among the most active lunch box categories on today’s market. In Hainan Province, which has fully banned plastics, the use, circulation, sale and storage of plastic tableware are all prohibited. Pulp molded tableware has therefore become an ideal plastic alternative.

Sugarcane pulp disposable lunch boxes are fully degradable; under industrial or home composting conditions, they can completely break down into organic matter within 90 days and return to nature.

1. Corn starch-based lunch boxes

Corn starch degradable lunch boxes are processed from natural corn starch and plant fiber as base materials, with additives such as biopolyester and polyols.

These lunch boxes can degrade naturally in soil and in the natural environment, with a degradation rate of 60%-80% depending on their composition. To a certain extent, they can replace plastic products and reduce white pollution. They are also an ideal alternative to the widely used but controversial "disinfected tableware" found in the catering market.

1. PLA degradable tableware

PLA degradable lunch boxes generally refer to products made by combining PLA composite film with pulp molded products in the pulp molding process — in other words, PLA film-laminated products.

PLA composite film is a fully degradable film produced from polylactic acid. It can be heat-laminated onto pulp molded and paper products.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a new type of biodegradable material made from starch raw materials derived from renewable plant resources such as corn. The starch is saccharified into glucose, which is then fermented with specific strains to create high-purity lactic acid; chemical synthesis is then used to produce PLA of a certain molecular weight. PLA has strong biodegradability and can be completely degraded by microorganisms in nature after use, ultimately producing carbon dioxide and water without polluting the environment. It is recognized as an environmentally friendly material and is highly beneficial for environmental protection.

Thanks to these advantages, when PLA is combined with pulp molded products through film lamination, it can reduce the need for water- and oil-repellent agents and better seal the pores of pulp molded products. This allows products that previously could not resist water to prevent water leakage. Sealing the pores also lowers breathability during actual use, improving insulation performance and extending heat retention time.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-378937.html