Certain plastic will only start decomposing after 700 years and will only be fully decomposed in 1,000 years. This means that all the plastic that has ever been produced has only really just started breaking down. Nearly two thirds of the plastic produced yearly around the world is discarded. Not only is recycling not a sustainable solution, the process of recycling the small fraction of overall plastic creates more atmospheric waste. Harmful chemicals leached by plastics are present in the bloodstream and tissues of nearly every person, including new-borns. Animals deal with the burden of plastic in different ways, such as being tangled in it and swallowing it. This can result in many injuries, limit their movement and can result in death.

Long story short, if we do not stop using plastic our actions will impact future generations ability to access pure fresh air, clean water and possibly our planet.
However, there is no Planet B so we need to do everything we can to save the one we have!

Polystyrene (EPS) is used extensively in the manufacture of everyday items such as bowls, plates, cups and packaging.  EPS is an end product, it cannot be turned into different products, only recycled as itself and even then, only certain configurations of the material can be recycled. 

There are lots of serious environmental and health concerns associated with EPS (also commonly referred to as Styrofoam, which is actually a brand name).  In landfills EPS breaks down into small pieces and is carried by the wind into the ocean and distributed through the environment. Marine animals and birds mistake these white pieces of EPS as food causing a whole chain of events that eventually affects our health and the planet. When we eat marine life that feed on toxic EPS, we are also taking in these harmful chemicals to our bodies. Many countries have already banned the use of Styrofoam and many more are ready to switch to biodegradable and compostable products due to the many environmental impacts which have been caused by using these materials for so long.

Visit our blog to learn more about human impact on our environment!

With the invention of plastic and Styrofoam in the 1940s we have been creating more and more non-biodegradable waste, it’s mounting up in our landfills and now finding it’s way into our oceans and waterways, leading wildlife and sea animals to feed on this waste, in turn we are taking in harmful chemicals when we consume meat, fish and vegetables who live and grow in the environment.  We have created so much waste that an island has started to form in the Pacific Ocean, it has been named the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

A change in the products and packaging we use is required and this is where biodegradable and compostable products come in to play.  By selecting more biodegradable and compostable options, we are leaving behind less of a mark than we would with plastic of polystyrene.

Biodegradable means an object or substance is able to decay naturally and in a way that is not harmful to the environment. This process is done without adding any chemicals to aid the decay, the time over which an object breaks down will depend on the amount of oxygen, humidity rate and temperature present in the surrounding environment.

Compostable means that the product is capable of disintegrating into natural element in a compost environment, leaving no toxicity in the soil. This differs to biodegradable as it refers specifically to organic matter which breaks down and leaves behind natural benefits. 

It will biodegrade or compost! Unlike the harmful plastic and Polystyrene (commonly referred to as Styrofoam) everyone has been using for decades, our products are made of natural materials. EcoSouLife products are made to leave no trace and return back to the environment. Our aim so to create a product from waste, not create more waste by creating a product!

Industrial composting provides a more controlled environment and conditions for products to break down.  Where we would simply throw food scraps or products in the garden or compost bin, Industrial composting ensures that the product has the correct level of exposure to specific conditions enabling it to break down.

EcoSouLife always opt for the eco-friendly coating option including water-based or natural coating and where possible we avoid coating at all!

There are a few brands that use PE/Plastic coating. As only Western Australia has changed the regulations to ban plastic cups, all other states still allow using plastic cups and lids. Changes will probably come into place from 2024 onwards.