Is That a Challenge, Sun Chips?

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?!)

Comments

[Karell]

Wow, this is a great experiment. And a good way to call out a company's marketing hype (if that is really all this is for Sunchips.)

[Martina Fugazzotto]

I really want it to work!! I'm crossing my fingers that it's not just a greenwashing trick to make the company seem eco-friendly. Sun Chips is owned by Frito-Lay, which is a huge company, so that doesn't sound too promising...

[Amy]

i kept a piece of the bag to try in my backyard too!

[michelle finn]

Hey Martina, We totally use our garden mill to compost our chip bags. We cut it into small strips like you did. Ours composts in two weeks. I like that they're up front about it having to be a 'hot' compost...a lot of the supposed compostable packaging doesn't mention that. We did an experiment and put the bag in our outdoor bin and it's been two months and looks almost exactly the same! The heat makes a huge difference. I totally think it will work in less than 14 weeks.

[al beebe]

Wow thats really cool, cant wait to see the results. I wonder if thats the same material that is used to make those "plastic looking" cups that they have at some festivals.

[Martina Fugazzotto]

Amy, let me know how it works for you! The packaging specifically says it needs a hot, active culture bin so it might not work in your backyard compost pile, but I'm curious to see if anything happens to it. Keep us updated!

[Al Beebe]

Hows the bag looking after a month?

[Martina Fugazzotto]

As I'm posting this, the countdown clock above says there are 38 days left in the decomposition of the bag, but guess what- it's already gone! Totally entirely decomposed in the composter!

I'm sure there are smaller particles of the bag that I can't see, and those are the pieces that still need 38 more days to fully decompose. But as for what I can see with my own eyes, it looks like dirt. Very cool, Sun Chips!