Popular snack packaging goes green
August 17, 2011 | Length: 00:01:27
SunChips are now available in a bag that's compostable, but there is one caveat. Find out what some snackers complaints are as SmartPlanet's Sumi Das checks out the biodegradable bag.
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>> Sumi Das: Hello, everyone, and welcome to Sumi's Smart Picks. I'm Sumi Das, and each week I'll tell you about a clever product that in one way or another helps us live cleaner, greener lives. My pick this week: SunChips. What makes SunChips smart? The packaging. This bag is actually compostable. Traditional bags use materials derived from petroleum byproducts. This bag is actually made out of PLA, polylactic acid, which is a plant based polymer. In an active, hot compost bin, according to the makers, Frito-Lay, this bag should degrade in about 14 weeks. Now, this packaging isn't available everywhere so you'll have to look for it on store shelves of your grocery store, and actually Frito-Lay introduced this packaging a while back but consumers complained that the bag was too noisy. Crinkling bag Does make a bit of noise, and Frito-Lay readily admits that this new revamped bag is still louder than traditional bags, but are those other quieter bags compostable? I didn't think so. I'll take a crinkle Crinkling bag any time if the bag is compostable. That's my pick for this week: SunChips from Frito-Lay in a compostable bag. Check back next week for more.
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