Comments on: A Bittersweet Symphony called D2W

By: MarketingSense

MarketingSense — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:40:02 +0000

Join our Bag Bans are RIDICULOUS, let’s talk solutions group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402202983229446/

By: MarketingSense

MarketingSense — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:31:51 +0000

keep up with current news, reusable bags are not hygienic there are plenty of virus/germ cases linked to reusable bags:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/05/09/152328893/shopping-bags-can-also-carry-stomach-flu-virus
http://www.webmd.com/news/20120508/norovirus-outbreak-traced-reusable-grocery-bag
http://www.livescience.com/20191-grocery-bag-norovirus-spread.html
http://io9.com/5908845/gastroenteritis-outbreak-linked-to-reusable-shopping-bag

By: Collins Pt.

Collins Pt. — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:16:48 +0000

Biodegradable plastic and packaging is a modern necessity for our ever-endangered environment.
Now PLA has been used to line the indoors of Paper Cups in place of the oil based lining additional usually used, create Plastic Cups, Plates, Carrier Bags, Food Packaging and even Nappies.
Eco Pure is our proprietary blend of organic materials that does not modify the base resin to which it is added.

Thanks a lot for your information

By: philippe

philippe — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:30:31 +0000

D2W is used extremely wideliy in Mexico by the largest user of film BIMBO CORPORATION. A throurough study is very much needed to determine if the salts/metals can be gobbled up by the microbes as stated by the D2W producer.
Good luck.

By: KidBean

KidBean — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:51:56 +0000

Thanks for this informative post! I’m a retailer and I’ve just started researching d2w since one of my suppliers began packaging all of their products in it. I definitely prefer the precautionary principle, especially in light of our recent experiences with BPA and phthalates, so I’m very reluctant to trust d2w won’t leach. I also have concerns about contamination of the soil, groundwater, and air AND of the release of more CO2.

It sounds like it may make disposables a tiny step better, but sustainably-produced reusables are still a MUCH better option in my opinion.

By: Adie

Adie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:18:19 +0000

Honestly, what a load of rubbish. He asked a school teacher about these “heavy metals”, a term which is considered to be nonsense in scientific circles, its a phrase used by sensationalist media.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_%28chemistry%29

I think you dont want a solution to the plastic because you have nothing less to moan about.

This looks to me like a good solution.

By: Fake Plastic Fish

Fake Plastic Fish — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:16:01 +0000

Hi Anonymous. I have actually brought up the point about methane gas here:

http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2008/11/contest-answer-biobags-okay-for-compost.html

That said, I do thing that bio-based bags are a better choice when they can be composted properly. And I feel like we need to be pushing ourselves and our communities to be properly composting our food and other green waste instead of sending it to the landfill where it too gives off methane gas.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:39:55 +0000

I've been researching this matter as an aside to my Environmental Studies course. I'm also a mature student – have a kid and everything – I use bags I've made myself, either from scrap material, or crocheted cotton string bags (which are like the TARDIS – they just seem to grow as I need).
What no one seems to have focussed on yet is that biodegrading plastic releases CO2, or Methane (depending on whether it's decomposing in aerobic or anaerobic conditions) – which is an even more damaging greenhouse gas. Right now it seems to me that if we HAVE to use plastic it's actually better to use non-biodegradable plastic which will return the carbon back to the earth from whence it came, and keep it there.
It's not pretty, it has it's own environmental problem for wildlife, and I don't like it, but on balance I think it is the lesser of two evils.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:03:36 +0000

My first awareness of d2w came today, when I received a newspaper wrapped in a bag made with the d2w additive, so I started doing Internet research on it (and this blog came up in that search). Thank you Beth for obtaining the paper listing the metals that they may be using. The Symphony websites don't list them, and neither do the Material Safety Data Sheets for their products. I also have chemistry training, and indeed I agree with Solvig that I wouldn't worry at all about manganese or iron, and only slightly about cobalt. I still consider nickel to have a level of toxicity that would want me to investigate this further though.

The biggest (gaping) hole I see in the PDF note they sent you, though, is that it mentions SOIL accumulation and PLANT uptake, but it doesn't even mention leaching into FOODS which might be stored in plastic containers made with the d2w additive, and which would then be eaten. I'd feel a bit more comfortable with this technology if they were a bit more forthcoming with the study data on THAT aspect. Just saying it complies with EU Directive 2002/72/EC doesn't tell me much.

That having been said, I do agree with some other posters: it's probably not a perfect technology, but any help with making plastics easier to break down (without causing further harm) is a least a step in the right direction. However I'm also a firm believer in reuse, and have been reusing bags (sometimes hundreds or literally thousands of times) for decades. Reuse is DEFINITELY the first and best option. People just have to learn to get in the habit of doing so.

Matt, in Los Angeles

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:56:00 +0000

Have you heard about an Australian innovation – Goody. Check out http://www.goody.com.au. They have an additive that makes plastic compostable, without the use of heavy metals.