Environmental Technology

Very interesting. Don't they have an alternative for the loose fill that packing peanuts provide? I am talking of course of the styrofoam that you find in most electronic packaging. Are the repercussions of using styrofoam the same as the peanuts?

Also, what of the packing peanuts that disintegrate with water? Are they leeching harmful chemicals when broken down with water or are they a green effort?

Keep up the good work!

Very interesting. The Eco-Cradle or packing mushrooms would be ideal if they could be re-used obviously.

You can recycle all of your packing peanuts through your local Post Office. Do not through them in the trash, as they will end up in the landfill. I bag them and drop them off at the Post Office every couple months.

Polystyrene can take the form of packing peanuts or be shaped into something different, it has the same environmental effects in either form. EPS has lead to be a major marine debris problem in california that can harm animals if ingested.

Some Eco friendly site figured out it was cheaper to use real popcorn than Styrofoam peanuts. The math looked good but two questions arise: Is vermin control a factor? Secondly, is the crush strength (work to limit) equal or better than Styrofoam?

Another factor might be that it can't be patented, so no profit, spawning lobbyists against its use. ?

I think I saw this thread already a few months back. This is great for those of you who aren't allergic to mushrooms. For me, I'll stick with the melt aways.

Are you referring to this engineering news article?:http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/9007/I-ve-Seen-The-Future-And-It-s-Made-of-Mushrooms

That is what I thought about the first time I saw this blog entry; it seemed very familiar.

That's the one.

Even if you are allergic to mushrooms you can use Eco-cradle, the mycelium never grows into a mushroom and it is dried in an oven before it is ready.

"After use, it can be broken up and used as compost for a garden, or thrown into a landfill without worry"

More greenwashing! Nice product, but still some greenwashing.

Under an EPA innovative research grant the EcoCradle material was tested to ASTM compliance for both aerobic and anaerobic compostability. These were tested against positive (cellulose) and negative (polyethelyne) controls to the following:

ASTM D 5338 Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions

ASTM D 5338 Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions

This is why Eco-Cradle can be thrown in a landfill "without worry".

ASTM D 5338 Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions

ASTM D 5338 Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials under Controlled Composting Conditions

I assume the second listing was meant to be the ASTM standard for Anaerobic Biodegradation.

I hate packing peanuts! When you unpack, you have to bag the suckers because they spill everywhere. No one accepts them for reuse/recycling in my area. They really don't seem to hold stuff in place well, either. Give me a crumpled old newspaper any day..... The Eco-cradle sounds good but pleeeeze don't make it into $#!^^Y peanuts... stick to slabs that a poor bird can grab in its claw.