What kinds of disposable tableware do you know?

Paper-based

• Paper pulp molded tableware: It is mainly made from herbaceous plants such as reeds and wheat straw, or wood pulp. It is formed at one time in a mold and then dried. Common examples include paper pulp molded lunch boxes and paper bowls, which can be used to hold various kinds of food, especially some solid foods or hot soup.

• Coated cardboard tableware: Made from bleached sulfate wood pulp cardboard with a weight of 300 grams to 350 grams as the raw material. It is processed through stamping and molding processes, such as die-cutting and bonding or die-cutting, pressing and shaping. Usually, a film is applied on the surface or chemical additives are used to prevent oil seepage or water seepage. Common types include disposable paper plates and some paper takeout boxes.

  
  

Plant fiber-based

• Plant starch disposable tableware: Using plant starches from wheat, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other plants as the main raw materials, with special additives added. After being treated by chemical and physical methods, it is pressed and formed. It consists of four parts: a dense layer, an inner waterproof layer, a rubber net layer and an outer waterproof layer. It can be used to package various kinds of food. For example, starch lunch boxes can be used to pack fast food and snacks.

• Plant fiber disposable tableware: Using plant fibers extracted from straw, rice husks, sugarcane bagasse and other materials as raw materials, adding molding agents, adhesives, water repellents and other additives, stirring and forming through a molding machine, and then processed by drying, shaping, disinfection and other subsequent processes. Examples include rice husk bowls and sugarcane bagasse plates, which can be used in daily dining and outdoor picnics.

  
  

Plastic-based

• Biodegradable plastic tableware: During the production process of plastics (such as PE, PP, PS, etc.), a certain amount of additives are added, mainly including starch-based and non-starch-based types. Through biodegradation, oxidation degradation, photodegradation and water-soluble degradation methods, after being discarded in nature for several months, the intact shape of the tableware can be cracked into fragments. Examples include biodegradable plastic lunch boxes and plastic cups.

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• Polypropylene (PP) tableware: It has high heat resistance and can be heated in a microwave oven. Common ones are disposable PP plastic lunch boxes and plastic bowls, which are widely used in takeout packaging and food packaging in daily life.

• High-impact polystyrene (HIPS) tableware: It has good impact resistance and rigidity and is generally used to make disposable plastic trays and fast food boxes.

  
  

• Biaxially oriented polystyrene (BOPS) tableware: It has the characteristics of high transparency, good stiffness and strong barrier property, and is often used to make disposable fruit trays, pastry packaging boxes, etc.

  
  

Others

• Wooden disposable tableware: It mainly includes disposable chopsticks and wooden spoons, etc., which are usually processed from wood and are more common in some Chinese restaurants or takeouts.

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• Biodegradable EPS disposable tableware: Made from biodegradable EPS (polystyrene), it can achieve 92% biodegradation in 4 years and can eventually reach 100%. It can be used for daily dining and heating in a microwave oven, and has the characteristics of heat preservation and non-scalding hands.

  
  

• Aluminum foil disposable tableware: Such as aluminum foil lunch boxes and tin foil bowls, etc. It has good thermal conductivity and high temperature resistance, and is often used for the packaging of baked foods, barbecued foods, and some foods that need to be kept warm.