Bio-based plastic is made from biological raw materials, such as plants (cassava, sugarcane, corn) or organic waste, unlike conventional plastics which use fossil fuels (oil, shale gas). For example, bio-PET is a bio-based plastic derived from sugarcane. However, the term 'bio-based' does not guarantee that the plastic is biodegradable: some bio-based plastics (like bio-PET) have the same properties as their fossil counterparts and require specific recycling. In contrast, materials like bagasse or tapioca, used for our lunch boxes and bottles, are both bio-based and biodegradable.

Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation, The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics, 2016.

Bio-based plastic: Refers to the origin of the raw material (biological rather than fossil). For example, a bottle made of bio-PET is bio-based but not biodegradable. Biodegradable plastic: Refers to the end of the product's life, meaning its ability to decompose naturally into non-toxic elements through microorganisms. For example, our bagasse products and tapioca bottles are biodegradable and home compostable. Some plastics, like PLA (polylactic acid), are both bio-based and biodegradable, but their decomposition often requires industrial conditions (high temperature, controlled humidity), making them less practical for home composting.

Source: European Bioplastics, Bioplastics – Facts and Figures, 2023.

Single-use plastics (bottles, packaging, cutlery) have a significant environmental impact:

• Durable Pollution: They take hundreds of years to degrade, accumulating in oceans (8 million tons per year according to Ocean Conservancy, 2021).
• Microplastics: Their fragmentation generates microplastics that pollute ecosystems and enter the food chain, affecting wildlife and human health. A 2022 study detected microplastics in human blood (Environment International, 2022).
• Carbon Footprint: Their production emits greenhouse gases (approximately 2-3 kg CO₂ eq/kg for PET, according to Ademe, 2021).
• Limited Recycling: Only 9% of plastics produced globally are recycled (OECD, Global Plastics Outlook, 2022). The rest is incinerated or sent to landfills.
• Green 4 Earth alternative products are compostable and do not generate microplastics, contributing to reducing these impacts.

Materials like bagasse (sugarcane residue) and tapioca (from cassava) offer several advantages:

• Renewable: They are agricultural by-products, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
• Biodegradable: Our products decompose in 3 to 6 months in home compost, leaving no toxic residues.
• Low Carbon Impact: Their production emits approximately 0.5-0.8 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021), compared to 2-3 kg for PET.
• Circular Economy: They valorize agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned, reducing emissions (FAO, The State of Food and Agriculture, 2020).

Materials like bagasse (sugarcane residue) and tapioca (from cassava) offer several advantages:

• Renewable: They are agricultural by-products, reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
• Biodegradable: Our products decompose in 3 to 6 months in home compost, leaving no toxic residues.
• Low Carbon Impact: Their production emits approximately 0.5-0.8 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021), compared to 2-3 kg for PET.
• Circular Economy: They valorize agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned, reducing emissions (FAO, The State of Food and Agriculture, 2020).

Regulations aim to reduce the use of single-use plastics:

• European SUP Directive: Since 2021, it bans certain single-use plastic products (straws, cutlery, plates) and sets reduction targets (e.g., 90% collection of plastic bottles by 2029) (EU Directive 2019/904).
• AGEC Law (France): The Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy law targets the elimination of single-use plastics by 2040, with measures like banning plastic packaging for fruits and vegetables under 1.5 kg since 2022 (Ministry of Ecological Transition, 2023).
• Recycling Targets: Plastic bottles must contain 30% recycled plastic by 2030 (EU Directive).
• These laws encourage the adoption of alternatives like our Green 4 Earth products, which meet regulatory requirements.

A "false alternative" is a product marketed as eco-friendly but has an impact similar to or greater than the plastic it replaces:

• Unnecessary Substitutions: Replacing a single-use product with another single-use product, even if bio-sourced, remains problematic (e.g., PLA plates that end up in landfills due to lack of industrial composting).
• Greenwashing: Some bio-sourced plastics (e.g., bio-PET) are marketed as "green" but are not biodegradable (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2016).
• Our products are designed to avoid these pitfalls: they are home-compostable, sourced from responsible supply chains, and aligned with a genuine CSR approach through our Green 4 Earth label.

Here are some concrete actions:

• Prioritize Reusables: Use durable containers.
• Choose Bio-based Alternatives: Opt for our bio-based products for takeout.
• Recycle Properly: Place recyclable plastics in the correct bins and compost our biodegradable products.
• Support Responsible Companies: Prefer engaged brands, like our start-up Green 4 Earth.
• Raise Awareness: Encourage those around you to reduce single-use plastics.

Source: Zero Waste France, Guide to Reduce Waste, 2023.

Our products offer distinct advantages compared to PLA:

• Home Compostability: Our products decompose in 3 to 6 months in home compost, while PLA requires industrial composting (European Bioplastics, 2023).
• Environmental Impact: The cultivation of our natural materials has a low carbon footprint. PLA may require intensive farming.
• No Confusion with Recycling: PLA complicates recycling streams, while our products are designed to be composted directly.

Microplastics refer to plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters, posing a significant threat to the environment and human health. These fragments either originate from the gradual degradation of larger plastic items—such as bottles, packaging, or discarded nets—or from the intentional production of tiny particles, like microbeads found in certain cosmetic or industrial products.

Their omnipresence results from various sources: abrasion from automobile tires, washing synthetic textiles, and the fragmentation of plastic waste due to weathering and ultraviolet rays. Once dispersed, microplastics infiltrate terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, contaminating soils, rivers, and oceans. Their small size facilitates ingestion by marine and terrestrial wildlife, leading to potentially toxic bioaccumulation that can ascend the human food chain. Moreover, they have the ability to adsorb chemical pollutants, thereby amplifying their harmful impact.

Unlike organic materials, microplastics do not biodegrade; they persist in the environment as increasingly fine particles, resisting decomposition for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. This durability, combined with their proliferation, makes them a major environmental challenge. Reducing their use, prioritizing biodegradable materials, and strengthening waste management policies are essential measures to combat this silent plague.

In summary, microplastics represent an insidious form of pollution, whose consequences demand immediate collective awareness and action.

RECYCLING
Known as the Möbius triangle, this is the recycling symbol, indicating the process through three arrows:

1. Waste sorting
2. Recycling in recycling plants
3. Manufacturing and delivering a new product to the market

PET or PETE

• Description: ♳ PET is a rigid and transparent plastic, often used for single-use products. It is one of the most common plastics for food packaging.
• Uses: Water bottles, sodas, cooking oils, food trays, textiles (polyester).
• Recyclability: Yes, PET is widely recyclable. It can be transformed into rPET (recycled PET) to make new bottles or textile fibers (e.g., recycled polyester

HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

• Symbol: ♴ HDPE
• Description: HDPE is a rigid, strong, and opaque plastic known for its durability and ease of molding.
• Uses: Milk bottles, detergent jugs, shampoo bottles, pipes, toys.
• Recyclability: Yes, HDPE is easily recyclable. It is often transformed into new containers, pipes, or outdoor furniture. Its recycling rate is relatively high due to ease of sorting (about 30-40% in Europe, according to PlasticsEurope, 2023).
• Production: Emits about 2 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021).
• End of life: Non-biodegradable, it contributes to plastic pollution if not recycled. However, its robustness often allows for multiple recycling cycles.

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

• Symbol: ♵ V or PVC
• Description: PVC is a rigid or flexible plastic (depending on additives), known for its durability and weather resistance.
• Uses: Pipes, windows, flooring, electrical cables, waterproof clothing (flexible PVC).
• Recyclability: Yes, but limited. PVC is difficult to recycle because it often contains toxic additives (e.g., phthalates, lead), complicating the process. In Europe, about 20% of PVC is recycled, mainly in the construction sector (VinylPlus, 2023).
• Production: Emits about 2.5 kg CO₂ eq/kg and can release toxic substances during manufacturing (Ademe, 2021).
• End of life: Non-biodegradable, it poses major environmental problems, especially due to additives that can disperse in the environment. Incineration of PVC releases dioxins and carcinogenic compounds (Greenpeace, 2020).

5. LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

• Symbol: ♶ LDPE
• Description: LDPE is a soft and flexible plastic, often used for applications requiring some elasticity.
• Uses: Plastic bags, packaging films (e.g., food wrap), garbage bags, cardboard liners.
• Recyclability: Yes, but difficult. LDPE is recyclable, but its format (thin films) complicates sorting and cleaning, resulting in a low recycling rate (about 10% in Europe, according to PlasticsEurope, 2023). It is often transformed into pellets to make new films or garbage bags.
• Production: Emits about 2 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021).
• End of life: Non-biodegradable, it is particularly problematic in the form of plastic bags, which pollute oceans and ecosystems (Ocean Conservancy, 2021).

PP (Polypropylene)

• Symbol: ♷ PP
• Description: PP is a rigid and strong plastic, valued for its ability to withstand high temperatures.
• Uses: Yogurt cups, bottle caps, food containers, storage boxes, ropes.
• Recyclability: Yes, PP is recyclable and often transformed into new containers, outdoor furniture, or automotive parts. Its recycling rate is moderate (about 20% in Europe, according to PlasticsEurope, 2023).
• Production: Emits about 2 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021).
• End of life: Non-biodegradable, it contributes to plastic pollution if not recycled. However, its durability allows for multiple recycling cycles.

PS (Polystyrene)

• Symbol: ♸ PS
• Description: PS exists in two forms: rigid (transparent) or expanded (light foam, like polystyrene).
• Uses: Cups, food trays, protective packaging (expanded PS), CD cases (rigid PS).
• Recyclability: Yes, but very limited. PS is difficult to recycle due to its lightweight nature (especially for expanded PS) and frequent contamination by food residues. Its recycling rate is below 5% in Europe (PlasticsEurope, 2023).
• Production: Emits about 2.5 kg CO₂ eq/kg (Ademe, 2021).
• End of life: Non-biodegradable, it easily fragments into microplastics, especially in its expanded form, polluting ecosystems (Ocean Conservancy, 2021).

OTHER (Other Plastics)

• Symbol: ♹ OTHER
• Description: This category includes all plastics that do not fit into categories 1 to 6. It includes plastics like polycarbonate (PC), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and some bio-sourced or biodegradable plastics like PLA (polylactic acid).
• Uses: Baby bottles (PC), toys (ABS), 3D printing (PLA), automotive parts.
• Recyclability: Variable, but generally low. Some plastics (e.g., ABS) can be recycled in specialized facilities, but the rate is very low (<5%, PlasticsEurope, 2023). PLA is biodegradable (industrial composting), but not recyclable in conventional streams, leading to confusion and frequent landfill disposal (European Bioplastics, 2023).
• Production: Variable depending on type (e.g., PC emits about 3 kg CO₂ eq/kg).
• End of life: Most are not biodegradable (except for exceptions like PLA), contributing to plastic pollution if not properly managed. Polycarbonate may contain BPA, an endocrine disruptor (Greenpeace, 2020).