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Not much changed in the world of nursery containers after plastic containers replaced metal fruit cans back in the 1960s. This is all changing now.
In a world where consumers demand sustainable products, the nursery industry has been forced to develop degradable production pots.
There have been compostable and degradable pots in the past, but these didn’t hold up to nursery production very well – particularly for long term crops. But technology has allowed container manufacturers to develop newer and newer products that look and act much like traditional plastic pots, said Rob Gumpf, Summit Plastic Co. sales manager.
Six to eight years ago, Summit first developed containers made from polylactic acid (PLA) derived from corn byproducts. These could be manufactured similar to polystyrene pots, but the PLA pots had a much lower melting point, which was an issue in certain production applications. This has now changed, and newer PLA pots have the same melting point as polystyrene (around 150°F or 160°F).
“The PLAs are compostable, but need high heat, known as ‘industrial composting.’” Gumpf said. “What we needed were products that were ‘backyard compostable’ and the new wheat and rice-hull products accomplish that.”
Summit’s eco360 Net rice hull pots contain slots, which allow then to be planted directly into the ground by consumers.
“Degradable pots made from renewable resources are going to continue to evolve. The Holy Grail would be a pot derived from wheat or other ag product produced locally.
It would be produced by the manufacturer and shipped to nearby growers, who would ship them to local garden centers. Then the consumers plant them in the ground. That would be the ultimate in reducing our carbon footprint,” Gumpf said.
For more: Summit Plastic Co., (330) 633-3668; www.summitplastic.com.
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