Going Green FAQ

At Mark Vend, we are committed to providing innovative approaches to managing consumption and waste products in the most environmentally safe and sound way. You get quality products and services that make sense for your bottom line...and for the planet.

Here are some of the questions about these innovative environmental products:

What kind of products are available?

The first products made from agricultural waste are now available in America. Sugarcane bagasse, bamboo, soy oil, palm oil, corn, corn starch, tapioca starch and potato starch are made into plates, spoons, cups and napkins. All of these products are sustainable, compostable, renewable and biodegradable.

How does bio-based packaging effect green house gas emissions?

All packaging made from bio sources are carbon neutral. If burned, the carbon released is equal to that which the plant absorbed from the atmosphere during its growth. If it is composted, much of the carbon will be fixed in the compost, replenishing the soil to assist plant growth instead of being released into the atmosphere.

Why should I buy compostable packaging if it is not being composted?

The value of sustainable, renewable and compostable packaging is not diminished if it is not composted. As waste, it degrades much more quickly than non-degradable plastics. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced as more packaging is made from biomass and less from oil.

The amount of carbon released from products made from biomass is equal to the carbon fixed in the plant as it grew. As the plants grow, they are absorbing carbon from the atmosphere only to release the same amount when burned or composted.

What are the new products on the horizon?

A high-heat, metalized, compostable film that can replace foil in many applications has been successfully test and a full line of compostable paper hot cups and soup containers are already available. Other lower cost bio-plastics technologies are also moving towards production.

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"Mark Vend: Making it Easy to Go Green" (PDF, 893k)

Get green with Mark Vend. Call 847-291-9216 for more info.