The move toward eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging is among the most important packaging trends of the 21st century. When it comes to packing peanuts, however, they’re still an important tool for loose fill packaging, despite not having the best reputation for eco-friendliness.
But change is on the horizon. You might have heard that biodegradable packing peanuts are now available. How can you tell if packing peanuts are biodegradable, and what are the major differences between these new eco-friendly packing peanuts and the original Styrofoam kind?
In this quick guide, we’ll discuss the importance of biodegradable packing peanuts, and we’ll provide a simple trick for how to tell if packing peanuts are biodegradable. Plus, we’ll show you the power of biodegradable packing peanuts from Air Sea Containers.
What Does Biodegradable Mean?
A biodegradable material is one that, after it’s discarded, can be broken down relatively quickly by natural processes of decay. Bacteria, weather and natural oxidation reactions come together to break down a biodegradable substance until it has decayed completely.
Biodegradable Packing Peanuts Are Eco-Friendly!
Think of what happens when a person discards an apple core in the woods. Almost immediately, it begins to disintegrate via the natural action of bacteria present in the environment. Now, consider what happens to a plastic bottle thrown away in the same woods. That bottle can’t be broken down by the bacteria, so it will remain in the environment for an estimated 400-to-500 years.
Styrofoam, the material conventional packing peanuts are made from, is also not biodegradable. By some estimates, it can take over a million years to degrade naturally. That’s why biodegradable packing peanuts are widely considered to be a better choice for our environment.
Why Does It Matter if Packing Peanuts Are Biodegradable?
Packing peanuts are a commonly used material for shipping fragile goods. Warehouse and logistics workers are often tasked with disposing of packing peanuts after unpacking goods, and knowing whether or not materials are biodegradable is a necessary first step to dispose of them properly.
Biodegradable packing peanuts can be recycled or even composted in a garden or lawn. Conventional packing peanuts, meanwhile, can only go into the garbage and subsequently to a landfill. The fewer packing peanuts that end up in landfills, the less Styrofoam present in our earth for the next million years.
Finally, there’s one more important reason to know what your packing peanuts are made from: Sensitive electronics like TVs and laptops shouldn’t be shipped using standard Styrofoam packing peanuts. Styrofoam tends to store static electricity, which can severely damage these devices when discharged. Biodegradable packing peanuts are made from a material that does not produce static discharges, meaning they’re safer to use for electronics shipping.
The Simplest Test for Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
There’s one easy and nearly foolproof way to tell if packing peanuts are biodegradable: Place a few of them under a faucet and turn the water on. If the peanuts are biodegradable, they will begin to break down and disintegrate within a few minutes. If they’re conventional Styrofoam peanuts, they will be mostly unaffected by the water.
Browse Our Entire Collection of Eco-Friendly PackagingPacking peanuts come in many different colors, and you may have heard that their color can inform you which type of peanuts they are. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to biodegradable peanuts. The green packing peanuts you may have seen used are made from recycled materials but are still generally not biodegradable.
If you know who manufactured the packing peanuts you’re using, you can also contact their manufacturer to learn what they’re made from. Peanuts made from plant-based materials, such as starches, are biodegradable and compostable.
Biodegradable Packing Peanuts from Air Sea Containers
Air Sea Containers offers biodegradable packing peanuts as part of our complete range of eco-friendly packaging solutions. Our biodegradable peanuts are created from a plant-based, non-static, non-toxic, non-Styrofoam material that offers better performance than traditional Styrofoam packing peanuts. By choosing biodegradable packing peanuts, you can make a decision that’s better for both your bottom line and the environment.
Air Sea Containers Biodegradable Sealed Air Peanuts (14 cu. ft.)
Interested in learning more about our green and biodegradable packaging? Need some advice on what eco-friendly packaging materials are and how to integrate them into your packaging practices? We’re always glad to help—just call Air Sea Containers at (866) 596-9448 or contact us online.
