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Technical
questions
1. What exactly is
Cornware made of?
Cornware is 90% corn
and yam starch (from corn and yam flour), and about 10%
polypropylene (PP).
2. Why is
Polypropylene added?
Polypropylene (PP)
is added as a binding agent and to ensure water-proofing. It
also allows Cornware to withstand high temperatures. PP is
assimilated with the corn and yam starch. Thus the PP will
biodegrade together with the corn and yam.
3. Are there any
bio-plastics that are 100% natural and without any plastic
additives?
Yes. However, they
are very costly and are unable to maintain their integrity
for long.
Environmental
Questions
4. What are the
conditions necessary for Cornware to biodegrade?
It
will need to be buried under a thin layer of earth and
exposed to water and heat for at least 90 days prior to
biodegradation.
5. How do you know
for sure that a product is biodegradable?
Claiming
biodegradability is not enough, the product has to be
certified. One of the most recognised cert is the
ISO14855-1:2005-Determination of Aerobic Biodegradability.
6. Can pure plastics
biodegrade?
No, pure plastics
are non-organic and therefore cannot be broken down into
simple substances by the action of micro-organisms. Plastics
can however degrade after thousands of years into plastic
dust but can still cause harm to the environment.
7. What happens when CornWare is incinerated?
Since 90% of
CornWare is made from plant matter, it is carbon neutral up
to 68%. This means that the net amount of carbon dioxide is
68% lesser than those released by the incineration of
non-organic matter such as plastics.
8. What exactly is
“carbon neutral”?
Here’s an example to
illustrate the concept of carbon neutrality:
A corn plant
takes in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it grows.
1 unit of the
carbon dioxide is “stored” in the corn.
This corn,
together with the 1 unit of carbon dioxide, is made into
CornWare.
When CornWare is
incinerated, the same 1 unit of carbon dioxide is released
back into the atmosphere.
The net amount if
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has not increased!
Plastics, on the other hand, releases new carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere when burnt, contributing to the
greenhouse gases.
Questions
pertaining to the use of CornWare
9. Can Cornware
products be washed and used again?
Yes, you can use it
as many times as you deem fit. However, prolonged usage may
result in the product turning soft.
10. Will any
substances be released into my food?
No. Studies have
shown that no leeching will occur even at high temperatures.
11. Can CornWare be
used in a convection oven?
CornWare can be used
in a convection oven with temperatures not higher than 150
degree Celsius.
12. What happens when Cornware is exposed to temperatures higher than
150 degrees Celsius?
No leeching will
occur. However, the product may become softer than usual.
13. How long can Cornware be stored for?
In a dry condition,
it can be kept for at least 3 years.
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