At howies, we know everything we make has an impact. From growing it, to making it, to packing it and shipping it. Which is why we always look for lower impact ways of doing things.
One of our principal goals over the last few years has been to reduce the amount of plastic we use. That means minimising the amount of plastic in our packaging.
Recently, we made the switch to using paper mailbags instead of plastic. The reasons for this are many, but from research we’ve read it’s been found that certain recycled plastics used in bags do not quite completely degrade as claimed. In fact, they have been found to leave nano particles of plastic in the soil that damage the eco-system.
Whereas paper is a natural material that is 100% recyclable and will decompose completely over time. Our bags are made using FSC-certified paper which comes from managed forests.
We think that’s a positive move towards reducing the amount of litter and marine pollution caused by single use plastics.
Biodegradability Timescale
Banana peel: 3-4 weeks
Paper: 20-25 years
Tin can: 10-40 years
Aluminium wrapper: 200-500 years
Disposable nappy: 500-600 years
Plastic cup: 1,000,000 years
Styrofoam cup: Eternity
FSC is a global certification promoting environmentally beneficial forest management for the paper and wood industry. Read more here: https://www.fsc-uk.org/en-uk
