A new line of plastic eating utensils from the Dutch firm De Ster uses potato starch as the basic polymer. This application of potato starch to replace plastic is the result of a collaboration between the German firm BIOTEC (for raw materials) and Dutch manufacturer of disposables plastic worldwide, De Ster.

This is the first time potato plastic has been used in a product which replaces conventional plastic. De Ster has replaced standard plastic ware with an ergonomical, high-tech, high-design product.

Potato starch is a biopolymer with the same properties as conventional plastics. In the manufacturing process the material can be treated like plastics, for instance subjected to normal injection moulding techniques. With these disposables a biodegradable product made from an agricultural raw material is completely reusable as compost. A new generation of biopolymers which can be recycled into cattle-fodder is currently being developed. 

While De Ster claims to have a unique product, they should watch out for start up Spudware, a line of Potato based cutlery from Excellent Packaging and Supply in Richmond CA.  Their Spudware uses the same basic potato to plastic process - albeit without the designer flair.

Or maybe they should be watching out for you! Check out this DIY project (pdf) where you can extract starch from potatoes and make it into plastic in your own home. 

Comments (9)

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We use spudware at CSU Monterey Bay
written by Kevin Miller , July 19, 2007

The folks at Spudware have been using our small state university (CSU Monterey Ba) as a test-bed for their wholesale sales of bioplastic utensils... the great thing is that we are able to compost them for local school gardens!

Spudware Compost
written by jsbarrie , July 19, 2007

Kevin-

Do you know how well these things compost? I'd imagine it would take some time to get the material to break down, otherwise it might dissolve in your coffee.

Thanks for the comment.

jsbarrie

Composting!
written by culprititus , July 20, 2007

If these starch-polymers are really compost-able in short time-lines, they need to replace petro-polymers ASAP. The environmental problems of persistent toxic petro-polymers are immense and growing. The Pacific Garbage zone is only one example of the huge magnitude of nearly indestructible pollution resulting from the constant manufacture of petro-polymers for the last 50 years.

Compost Data Needed!
written by jsbarrie , July 20, 2007

I hope someone out in EcoGeek Land can point me toward data on starch based plastic compost.

Thanks

jsbarrie

Composting Spudware
written by Kevin Miller , July 20, 2007

Composting...

While I don't run the composting on our campus, I have taken a few to my home to test this very theory. I would say spudware is somehwere between a hard winter squash and wood chips in compostability (yes, it should be a word).

Our campus uses a grinder on compost, so I would imagine increasing the surface area helps speed up the process. Also, they do kinda get floppy in hot coffee, so perhaps heat plus an acidic environment would speed up their disintegration. Of course, plastic knives and forks get this way too in hot beverages, but I would prefer leeching some potato starch in my tea over plastic!

Composting Spudware
written by Firms Directory , July 26, 2007

I hope someone out in EcoGeek Land can point me toward data on starch based plastic compost.

Thanks

Eco-Catering
written by Evelyne , August 12, 2007

Dear John,
I believe these potato starch-derived ustensils for catering have been introduced in 1996.http://www.re-f-use.com/view_product.php?id=5004

...
written by Tany , February 28, 2008

What about people with potato allergies? Will this have an effect on them?

SAVE THE DEAREST PLANET "EARTH"
written by Soumyadeep Dhar , June 10, 2008

Is it really possible to make plastic from potato.

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