Huhtamaki has received certification from the Belgian authority AIB Vincotte for its cutlery made of Mater-Bi. The certification verifies that in accordance with the European norm EN13432*, the cutlery turns into compost in 90 days when correctly treated in industrial composting facilities.The Mater-Bi cutlery produced by Huhtamaki is sturdy and safe, extremely functional for every kind of use. The cutlery, suitable for hot food contact (maximum 70°C for 30 minutes), can be considered as a premium product due to its shape and thickness. Fork and knife were recently re-designed with a new shape in order to obtain the proper thickness for the biodegrading and composting of the finished product.
Waste management and disposal are important from an environment protection stand point. The use of traditional disposable tableware creates non-recyclable mixed waste (scraps, food, disposable tableware, paper, plastic bottle, among others) which have to be disposed at a landfill or incinerated placing a burden on the environment.
Creating a separate refuse collection is not always easy. The waste separation is very laborous, sometimes even practically impossible, particularly at outdoor mass events, canteens or at any event in which the number of meals served is high. For these reasons the use of compostable tableware products guarantees an omogeneus collecting: waste can be disposed in composting facilities where they become fertile humus for the soil. A virtous cycle begins: natural raw materials turn to soil as a continuum to biodegrading and composting processes without the release of polluting materials.
In order to satisfy the increasing need for biodegraedable products, Huhtamaki launched, already in 2004, the BioWare range. The range consists of disposable products that are primarily made of renewable plant materials. All BioWare products are certified in accordance with EN13432, the European norm for compostability of packaging. When disposed of in industrial composting conditions, BioWare products compost into water, carbon dioxide and organic material. The entire chain, from raw material input to production and disposal, has been designed to have a minimal impact on the environment.
