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Potatopak NZ Ltd is a New Zealand company based in Blenheim. They use potato starch, an otherwise waste product, in a patented process to manufacture plates, trays, bowls and packaging as an alternative to polystyrene. Potatopaks are fully biodegradable, they are even edible.
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Potatopak
Alternative to polystyrene
Potatopak NZ Ltd manufactures plates, trays, bowls and punnets out of 100% Biodegradable Potato starch. These items are designed primarily for serving food. They supplement these items with a range of wooden cutlery (knives, forks and spoons) to give a complete environmentally-friendly solution for the serving of food at your BBQ, Picnic and Party. The products are stronger, more rigid and have greater insulation properties than their Polystyrene counterparts.
Potatopak also custom-makes products for customers such as the bait stations for noxious animals.
The products can also be used for food retailing, takeaways, and gift packaging.
How the products are made
Potatoes, on their journey from spud farm to french fry, are blasted with water, washed, scrubbed, and at 120kph, pushed through a tube fitted with a series of knives. The waste-water from this is full of starch from the cut surfaces of the Potatoes. The starch is extracted and the clean water is reused by the potato processor. The dried potato starch is supplied to Potatopak.
Once Potatopak receive the dried starch they process it in a high-speed pressure thermoforming machine that inserts the powdered starch between a set of moulds of the desired shape that we want to make. The mould closes and the starch is pressurised and 'cooked' into the rigid and strong shape. An automated handling system then extracts the tray ready for the next cycle.
A very small amount of waste is produced by Potatopak all of which is given to the local farmer for consumption by his pigs!
Composting
Once the products have been used they can be composted. Put them into the compost and within 4 weeks there should be nothing left, there will be no toxins or leachates as our products are 100% Compostable and 100% Biodegradable with no bleaching chemicals which are found in some imported products.
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Quick link
Potatopak
Visit the Potatopak website to see a full range of their products and where you can buy them.
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