EKOS Communications, Inc.

One of my biggest pet peeves is litter, most of which is made of plastic. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned of a Canadian company based in Vancouver that was producing biodegradable packaging. Earthcycle Packaging Ltd was launched in November 2005 by Shannon Boase who saw a business opportunity where others only saw an environmental and social problem. In 1997, while living in Malaysia, she suffered, along with residents, from the thick plumes of smoke arising from land clearing and burning of waste associated with the palm oil plantations. In cooperation with the country's government which was keen to find a solution to the problem, Boase began exploring the potential of turning leftover palm husk fibre into compostable food packaging and produce trays. Today, Earthcycle Packaging Ltd is a going concern with its products found in more than 700 stores, mostly in Eastern US and Canada where there is a heavier reliance on packaged fresh produce. Loblaws, Safeway, IGA, Walmart are among those retailers now offering products bearing the label:" Earthcycle. Renewable Resource. Backyard Compostable." Elsewhere, Boase has been quoted as boasting that palm fibre is "naturally oil - and water-resistant, is freezable and microwavable, breaks down in a compost in just 90 days, and comes from an abundantly renewable resource." All fine and well, the skeptic in me said, but just how much of an environmentally-responsible choice are these packaging materials? Like many, I'm keenly aware of the destruction of jungles in SE Asia partly driven by the rapid expansion of palm oil plantations. Was Earthcycle, in any way, contributing to this deforestation crisis? Who or where did they get the palm fibre to make their products? I had to know so I callled Boase to find out. "I know absolutely that we're not contributing to the problem," she told me categorically, "because it comes from our own plantation in West Malaysia. The region is quite highly developed, so no clearing was necessary." Earthcycle runs a fully-integrated operation at the plantation where palm fruit is processed into oil and where the fibre is pulped for other uses, including the manufacture of the compostable food packaging products. That's good, I thought, but what happens if the capacity of the plantation can no longer meet the demand, where will they source the extra fibre from? "We're putting into place an ethical sourcing policy," she replied, "because my partner and I really believe in what we're doing." The passion that burned behind those words adequately conveyed a deep commitment to a broader purpose than just running a profitable business. Earthcycle's vision is a perfect world in which "packaging would never be garbage." "We'll never get rid of packaging, given that our society is built upon, and relies upon, global markets," Boase continued. "If we have to use packaging, then let's make sure that it is from renewable resources and responsible composting aspects." True enough, I agreed as we ended our conversation. As I hung up, I made a mental note to urge my local grocery retailer to start offering produce in Earthcycle products. Our conversation had ranged over several other aspects to the palm oil plantation issue; however, discussion of these will have to wait until my return from a field trip to Clayoquot Sound over the next week. In the meantime, I strongly encourage you to become familiar with Earthcycle products and to start asking for them wherever you purchase packaged products. Oh, and about the litter, I don't believe that biodegradable plastic is the answer. Rather, more social pressure on those who do it backed by fines and educational campaigns are called for. Relevant Links: Earthcycle. www.earthcycle.com The Friends of the Earth. www.foe.co.uk The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. www.rspo.org The Sustainable Packaging Coalition. www.sustainablepackaging.org