Melisa Bernard is a Remote Sensing Specialist at
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown and a member of Jamestown After
5. In her free time she enjoys geocaching, gardening, Jazzercise, and spending time with her husband and two cats.

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What’s with those new Sun Chip bags?

Recently, there’s been a change in chip bag technology. Frito-Lay’s Sun Chips (10 ½ oz. size) now come in a biodegradable bag. Crazy, huh? They may be a little louder than the original bags, but I think they’re worth it!

Traditionally, chip bags are manufactured from polyolefin materials, which are made from petroleum by-products. But these bags are made out of plant-based materials called polylactic acid (PLA). The plants that make up PLA grow annually, making it a renewable resource, instead of petroleum, which takes millions of years to form. Both require about the same amount of energy to manufacture.

Frito-Lay, the manufacturers of Sun Chips, is taking this biodegradable chip bag thing very seriously. The bags have been given the seal of approval by an independent organization called the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). BPI validates claims of biodegradable products that have been scientifically proven to break down through composting. Also, the protocol checks for heavy metals and other materials that would have a negative effect on the environment.

These tests have shown that the chip bags will break down in about 14 weeks in a hot, active compost bin (a little longer if your compost bin is not so active, like mine). But note that composting is key to bringing this product, made from renewable materials, full circle. “Biodegradable” means that something is capable of decomposing by the action of biological agents, such as bacteria. For sanitation purposes, modern landfill operators cover trash with a soil layer daily, which inhibits bacteria growth. A 2001 study revealed that biodegradable material from the 1960s, such as food and newspaper, still had not decomposed in several landfills across the U.S. because air and water could not infiltrate them and bacteria could not survive.

If you don’t have your own compost bin, your municipality may have one. Call your local sanitation department to find out.

On a slightly related note, all Frito-Lay bags that are not compostable, such as Cheetos, Fritos, Doritos and Lays, can be recycled through TerraCycle. TerraCycle will upcycle the chip bags into new products (if you’re not sure what that means, see my previous article on upcycling). For every bag received, they will donate $.02 to a non-profit organization or school of your choice. There are no fees, and shipping is covered by the program. Visit the Chip-Bag-Brigade to learn more.
 

Read Melisa's past columns here