Reusable & Disposable Tableware Things to Consider this Australia Day
In response to environmental pressure, on the 1st of February 2023, the sale of plastic serving wear was banned in Victoria and other parts of Australia. This was deemed the next step after banning the sale of plastic shopping bags which occurred in November of 2019.
Specifically, the following plastic items can no longer be sold:
- Drinking straws
- Cutlery
- Plates & bowls
- Drink stirrers
- Cotton bud sticks
- Expanded polystyrene food service items
- Expanded polystyrene drink containers.
https://www.vic.gov.au/single-use-plastics
There are a plethora of cardboard and plant-based item alternatives being sold in their place.
Some of the items on the market have plastic or waxy time coatings and like "compostable plastics" they require processing at specialised compost facilities for them to break down effectively.
Concerns have been raised about some products and particular harmful chemicals that they may contain. The ABC reported that some products contained chemicals like PFAS that can leach into our food and deem the products unsafe for composting.
What are PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) & what's the concern?
The following information is quoted directly from the American Environmental Protection Agency website: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained
- PFAS are widely used, long-lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time.
- Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment.
- PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations across the nation and the globe.
- Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
- There are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. This makes it challenging to study and assess the potential human health and environmental risks.
The EPA is researching the impact of PFAS and further information can be found at the above-mentioned website.
What choices have we got?
We got ourselves a buffet from Facebook marketplace ($50 bargain) and used the extra storage space, to house our party serving wear. I'm a believer that the food should be the centrepiece, so we opted for big white platters and bowls. I've since found out that Macy's now delivers to Australia and they have some interesting serving wear, on sale at hugely reduced prices at the moment, depending on your tastes and budget.
Check out the Hotel Collection if you like the marble look
If you have a bigger budget you might consider the Palm Collection.
Is there disposable tableware that is not made with PFAS?
We are currently organising a party for our four-year-old and want to use disposable table wear (cups, bowls, plates and cutlery) so have been doing some research.
We are considering the following brands:
BioGreen plates and bowls are made plant-based plates are made from fibres left behind from sugarcane processing called bagasse. Bagasse is a sustainable fibre that is a strong, durable, and green alternative to traditional wood pulp or plastic.
BioGreenChoice 10” PFAS-free disposable plates meet the requirements for food contact and are Kosher certified.
This item was manufactured without added PFAS substances.
74% or reviewers gave these products 5 stars.
This pack is 250 piece dinner set. It includes:
50x 7” Bagasse Plates (side/bread & butter plates)
50x 9” Bagasse Plates (dinner plates)
50 x CPLA Spoons
50 x CPLA Forks
50 x CPLA Knives
CPLA is a crystallized polylactic acid. Polylactic Acid (PLA) is a plant-based material derived from sugars such as sugar cane. Chalk is then added during the production process.
Have you come across PFAS free disposable dinner ware that you think are of a good quality? Let us know by commenting on this post.