1. Sustainability of raw materials
Bamboo fiber tableware
Bamboo is a renewable resource with a fast growth rate. Generally, it can be mature in 3-5 years. my country has abundant bamboo resources and is widely distributed, which provides sufficient raw material guarantee for the production of bamboo fiber tableware. Moreover, bamboo can absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during its growth, which has a positive carbon sink effect on the environment.
It has relatively low land requirements and can be planted in various terrains such as mountains. It does not compete with food crops for arable land resources, and can make full use of marginal land to promote ecological balance.
Plastic tableware
It is mainly derived from petrochemical products. Petroleum is a non-renewable resource. With mining and use, its reserves are constantly decreasing. Its mining process will cause damage to the ecological environment, such as land collapse, marine oil spills, etc., and will also consume a lot of energy and water resources.
2. Degradability
Bamboo fiber tableware
It is relatively easy to degrade in the natural environment. Generally, it can be decomposed into harmless substances within a few months to a few years, and finally return to nature. It will not remain for a long time like plastic tableware, causing lasting pollution to soil, water bodies, etc. For example, under composting conditions, bamboo fiber tableware can be decomposed and utilized by microorganisms relatively quickly.
After degradation, it can provide certain organic nutrients for the soil, improve soil structure, and be beneficial to plant growth and the cycle of the ecosystem.
Plastic tableware
Most plastic tableware is difficult to degrade and may exist in the natural environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. A large amount of discarded plastic tableware will accumulate in the environment, forming “white pollution”, causing damage to the landscape, and will also affect the air permeability and fertility of the soil, hindering the growth of plant roots.
Even for degradable plastic tableware, its degradation conditions are relatively strict, requiring specific temperature, humidity and microbial environment, etc., and it is often difficult to fully achieve the ideal degradation effect in the natural environment.
3. Environmental protection of the production process
Bamboo fiber tableware
The production process mainly adopts physical processing technology, such as mechanical crushing of bamboo, fiber extraction, etc., without adding too much chemical additives, and relatively less pollution to the environment.
The energy consumption in the production process is relatively low, and the pollutants emitted are also less.
Plastic tableware
The production process requires a lot of energy and emits various pollutants, such as waste gas, wastewater and waste residue. For example, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are produced during the synthesis of plastics, which pollute the atmospheric environment.
Some plastic tableware may also add plasticizers, stabilizers and other chemicals during the production process. These substances may be released during use, causing potential harm to human health and the environment.
4. Difficulty of recycling
Bamboo fiber tableware
Although the current recycling system of bamboo fiber tableware is not perfect, because its main component is natural fiber, even if it cannot be effectively recycled, it can be degraded quickly in the natural environment, and will not accumulate for a long time like plastic tableware.
With the development of technology, there is also a certain potential for the recycling of bamboo fiber materials in the future. It can be used in papermaking, fiberboard and other fields.
Plastic tableware
The recycling of plastic tableware faces many challenges. Different types of plastics need to be recycled separately, and the recycling cost is high. Moreover, the performance of recycled plastics will decline during the reprocessing process, and it is difficult to meet the quality standards of the original materials.
A large number of disposable plastic tableware are discarded at will, which is difficult to be recycled in a centralized manner, resulting in a low recycling rate.