Restaurant & Bar Awards 2020

www.lux-review.com Page 23 LUX Restaurant & Bar Awards 2020 More than anything, Disposable Green was created to address what Santosh believes to be a prevalent issue: that there is misinformation around what it means to be compostable and ‘bio-degradable’, with vast swathes of available products failing to meet the necessary criteria. Disposable Green seeks, ultimately, to rectify that problem by providing 100% real home compostable products, as Santosh explains in more detail. “Unlike many of the available products on the market, Disposable Green prides itself in offering a 100% home compostable tableware range. All of our products do not need industrial composting. “Customers are often mistaken when they see the term ‘bio-degradable’ on items and believe they are getting the ‘real deal’, but most of the bio-degradable products - which use plant- based plastic [PLA]- need to be composted in industrial composting. Tellingly, most councils are still asking for biodegradable PLA items to be packed with regular recycling rather than discarding them in food composting or with garden waste.” The idea for Disposable Green was certainly an organic one for Santosh. Having grown up in India, where eating meals on plates made Sustainability is certainly a trending topic at the moment as the world, slowly, learns to adopt more eco-friendly practices. The re-usable and the recyclable is in vogue, enjoying a new wave of interest in commercial, industrial and residential settings. Yet, many businesses haven’t gone far enough. Disposable Green presents an alternative – a truly sustainable solution to a very real problem. We spoke to Director Santosh Gandhi for insight into the company’s values and mission. Disposable Green Best Biodegradable Kitchenware Brand 2020 & LUX Excellence Award in Sustainability 2020 from natural leaves is common in rural areas, Santosh saw single use plastic as a source of horrendous waste. “With a couple of years of research in looking for viable alternatives to single-use plastic, we have created an ideal, affordable range that replaces single-use plastic disposables that meets the standards customers expect.” Yet, naturally, there are prevalent challenges to overcome for the company. Not least of which is convincing potential customers that a change is needed, despite larger costs. “We are so used to buying plastic at such a low cost that a willingness to adopt an eco-friendly alternative should drive the future choices we make in buying. It may look a little unwise in terms of a business vs cost decision now but understanding sustainability and the impact on society should become a part of every business that uses single use plastic every day.” Though the company is small – at the moment – Santosh has large plans for the future of Disposable Green. “The future is really bright, with so many new developments and innovations being made into finding alternatives to plastic. In terms of Disposable Green itself, we have just launched our unique “From Nature Back to nature” range of leaf straws. We believe they are a real game changer and a no brainer as an ideal alternative to plastic and paper straws. Moreover, we are also investing time in creating a new line up of takeaway packaging solutions that will again be home compostable.” However, for the time being, the company’s size has proven a valuable resource, allowing for quick dissemination of information, an enviable degree of adaptability, and a mission focus that larger companies struggle to achieve. Company: Disposable Green Contact: Santosh Gandhi Email: [email protected] “Our core mission at Disposable Green is to provide a real and effective alternative to single use plastic at a cost that is affordable to the masses, this is the only way we believe we can overcome the threat of plastic pollution.”