FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please find our most frequently asked questions about NEO Plastics packaging below. For more specific details about NEO Plastics and how your company can reap the environmental rewards, contact us at info@neoplastics.com or 646.542.1499.
1. How many landfills are collecting/converting energy?
Currently, more than 600 facilities now collect BioGas and convert to energy, representing more than 80% of the waste American consumers discard.
Read more about the EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Progam (LMOP) here >>2. Do plastics without NEO produce biogases?
Unfortunately, plastics will not begin this process for centuries, long after collection plants have outlived their useful life.
3. Can I recycle NEO products?
Yes, NEO Plastics have no effect on the recyclability of single polymer plastics.
4. Is NEO food safe?
Yes, NEO Plastics are FDA and GRAS compliant and safe for food contact.
5. Will NEO affect the taste of my product?
No, NEO Plastics perform exactly the same as traditional plastic materials with no effect on taste.
6. Does NEO offer the same barrier properties?
Yes, the same barriers in current materials are still present, NEO has no effect on barrier.
7. Do NEO products start degrading on-shelf?
No, NEO Plastics react to microbial activity that is only present in anaerobic environments.
8. Does NEO create “Micro Plastics” in our environments?
No, NEO Plastics packaging accelerates the natural digestion of the package in anaerobic environments, generating useful BioGas. NEO should not be confused with other additives or materials that break plastics into micro sized plastics which are harmful to our lakes, oceans and soil and which should not be used as a method to eliminate plastic waste.
9. Is NEO Compostable?
No, NEO offers a broader opportunity by being most accessible to consumers and utilizing today’s waste management system and has the potential to turn discarded plastic into clean sustainable energy.
10. What does Please Discard Responsibly mean on packages Made with NEO?
Please discard responsibly simply means to throw it in the trash.
11. Landfill Energy Recovery
Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are the third-largest source of human – related methane emissions in the United States, accounting for approximately 15.4 percent of these emissions in 2015. At the same time, methane emissions from landfills represent a lost opportunity to capture and use a significant energy resource.
When MSW is first deposited in a landfill, it undergoes an aerobic (with oxygen) decomposition stage when little methane is generated. Then, typically within less than 1 year, anaerobic conditions are established and methane-producing bacteria begin to decompose the waste and generate methane. Instead of escaping into the air, LFG can be captured, converted, and used as a renewable energy resource. Using LFG helps to reduce odors and other hazards associated with LFG emissions, and prevents methane from migrating into the atmosphere and contributing to local smog and global climate change. In addition, LFG energy projects generate revenue and create jobs in the community and beyond.
Read more about the EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Progam (LMOP) here >>California law prohibits the sale of plastic packaging and plastic products that are labeled with the terms ‘biodegradable,’ ‘degradable,’ or ‘decomposable,’ or any form of those terms, or that imply in any way that the item will break down, biodegrade or decompose in a landfill or other environment. These restrictions apply to all sales in or into the State of California, including such sales over the Internet. Designed in support of current EPA and Waste Management programs. NEO plastics can increase biogas production at municipal landfills, supporting biogas clean energy programs. Please check if your facility participates. Actual results may vary. Please discard responsibly.