Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Hoffmaster to Exhibit at Upcoming Trade Shows

Hoffmaster® is pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting at the Dietary Managers Association (DMA) Fall Regional Meeting. The event takes place at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita on October 7. The Regional Meetings are popular among DMA members, who enjoy top-notch education, foodservice exhibits, and peer networking. Visit Hoffmaster in booth #14.

Hoffmaster® will also be exhibiting at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) 2010 Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE). The event takes place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston November 7-9, 2010. The event continues to expand – attracting a wider audience of professionals, including dietitians, sports, health and nutrition professionals, and executive chefs. Visit Hoffmaster in booth #2475.
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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Clearing up Confusion: Biodegradable vs. Compostable

The world continues to focus on environmental standards and solutions. Terms such as “biodegradable,” “compostable,” and “green” are used interchangeably and inaccurately. Hoffmaster® recognizes these terms can be confusing and hopes this information will help you silence some of the false or confusing claims.

Biodegradable - Material is able to decompose or break down on its own in one year or less. Essentially, the item will disappear.

As we all know, even items such as newspapers will not degrade in a landfill where they are not exposed to air, sunlight, etc. Even if a product has been BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) certified, this does not mean a product is biodegradable. When the primary method of disposal is landfills where essentially nothing degrades, claiming something is biodegradable is considered deceiving and not acceptable.

Compostable - According to a survey conducted by the American Chemistry Council, an item is compostable if “the material can be put back into the ground
to make soil, mulch, or fertilizer that can be used in a garden or around your home.” Materials should breakdown and be usable in a matter of months (three months to one year).

Hoffmaster’s stance: In general, our products are made from natural and renewable raw materials (trees). Our tissue napkins and bond paper placemats are considered compostable in a safe and timely manner in an appropriate composting program or facility, or in a home compost pile or device. We do not make the claim that our products are biodegradable because they are typically disposed of in a landfill and degradable is not possible in landfill conditions so this would be deceiving.
*Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/packaging/presentations/mojo.pdf
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