Mexican Food Company Switching to Biodegradable Packaging
by Eliza Barclay, Nomad on 09. 5.08
Grupo Bimbo, Mexico's largest producer of baked goods, announced this week it will be replacing its plastic packaging with a new biodegradable plastic in all main supermarkets and retail outlets in Mexico City.
The new plastic packaging is oxo-biodegradable and contains an additive made by the British company Symphony Technologies. Oxo-biodegradation is a two-stage process where the breakdown and release of carbon dioxide, water and biomass is accelerated. Instead of taking years to biodegrade, the plastic breaks down within a few months
on land or in water leaving no fragments or harmful residues, according to Symphony.
Grupo Bimbo, which produces more than 5,000 bakery products, from loaves and pastries to cookies, chocolates and sweet and salted snacks, hopes that the biodegradable plastic will help to offset its contribution to the 10 million cubic meters of waste generated every month in Mexico.
Grupo Bimbo operations director Ramón Rivera said the additive will initially be used for white bread packaging, followed by pastries. Eventually all of the firm's products sold in Mexico and the rest of Latin America will be in biodegradable packaging.
According to Reuters, Brazil, Argentina and the city of Delhi, India are developing legislation requiring shopping bags to be degradable.:: Via Teorema (Spanish link)
More on Biodegradable Products
Degradable Plastics- the dissolving grocery bag
Ecoflex® Compostable Plastic Packaging Materials By BASF
Wheat-Based Biodegradable Cutlery
Biodegradable Plastic Basket, by Coza Brazil
Thank heavens. Plastic bags are straight from the pits. Can't we just wrap stuff in packaging that does not hurt the earth?
Bread is a great way to start, because it's discarded after a week. Something with no shelf life doesn't need to be mummified.
Of course, bread is best in paper. I always swtich my bread to a paper bag when I get it home.
that`s beautiful because you can find bimbo bread in almost every mexican home.
Although in the package it says it takes about 3 to 5 years to biodegrade not months .
In remembrance of the hippie and his fondest dreams - Bread is best in paper bags, and paper is best produced on otherwise semi- and non- arable land using Hemp fiber, (not the dope type, Don't be silly!). We can save the forests and produce at least one crop a year, up to four in some places, and it also can yield bio-diesel, and food in form of edible seeds! Canada allows some hemp to be legally grow, and they are metric too! Maybe we should try hemp first, then go metric like the rest of the world! Right now, we pay bonus extras to import hemp, which grows wild in our country, from China. Not too bright! Wake Up America, Last Call!
oxo-degradables are NOT biodegradable
Symphony and EPI et al - all claim the same snake oil pitch - but it is scientific bullshit.
The polyethylene might break down into smaller pieces - but there is no biodegradtation. Instead we're left with small pieces of PE to pollute the world.
Ask them to publish the scientific data that shows there is biodegradation occuring - they cannot.
I agree with Richard. The bio in this article has nothing to do with bio. Bio means life. They are using clever technology to break down petrochemical products into "fragments" ... meaning petro-molecules. Now, who's making sure that petro-molecules are safe for us, for any lifeforms downstream of the dumps which now will be percolating these molecules into the water table, rivers, the sea....
Not the best article from Treehugger. They need to use a little common sense, instead of parroting PR from technology companies.
Treehugger, what say you?