Cardia Bioplastics and Sulo collaborate in household food waste recycling

Organic waste comprising plant material and food scraps forms about 40% of the domestic waste stream in Australia. When this waste is disposed of in landfill it breaks down anaerobically and the greenhouse gas, methane, is released as a by-product. Diverting organic waste from landfill to composting significantly reduces greenhouse gas generation and produces compost that can be used as fertiliser and soil conditioner in farming, parks and gardens.

Increasing numbers of councils in Australia offer a ‘kitchen to compost’ service, with the aim of diverting organic waste from landfill and Sulo is a leading provider of such services. To fully integrate the offering to households, Australian global sustainable resins and finished products supplier Cardia Bioplastics and Sulo have collaborated to offer councils and households a specially designed kitchen tidy bin and certified compostable bag system.

Cardia Bioplastics and Sulo announced their partnership at Australia's peak environmental and sustainability conference and exhibition - Enviro 2010 - in Melbourne. The companies have showcased their new Sulo kitchen tidy bins fitted with tailored Cardia Compostable kitchen tidy bags.

Cardia Bioplastics Managing Director Dr Frank Glatz said recycling organic waste is vital if we are serious about reducing our environmental footprint and managing household waste sustainably. “This organic waste system is tailored to meet domestic needs for form, fit and function,” he said.

“Unlike other bags on the market, the Cardia film is also tougher and more tear resistant,” he said.

“The open design kitchen tidy bin works together with the breathability of Cardia's compostable bag to aerate the food waste. This aerobic environment mitigates odours and complements the design of the bins. The breathability of the Cardia compostable bag also allows water vapour transmission from the organic waste during storage and transport. This reduces weight and waste-management costs,” said Dr Glatz.

The new Cardia Bioplastics range of compostable bags is manufactured from renewable resources and the bags are compliant to international standards, including Europe's EN13432, the US’s ASTM D 6400, Japan’s GreenPla, and Australia’s AS 4736.