The Ecoist – What exactly is Bagasse?
Posted by Eco-Products on Dec 10th 2012
What is Bagasse Fiber?
Bagasse is made from sugarcane.
Rather than throwing away or burning used sugarcane stalks, the stalk is “reclaimed” and pulped to make a paper-like substance called bagasse. Bagasse can be formed into an amazing variety of products like containers, plates, and bowls. It looks, acts, and is made quite similarly to paper, but from a reclaimed resource that would otherwise be burned or left on the fields.
Sugarcane is heat tolerant like paper and can even be put in the microwave or the freezer. As with paper, extremely hot food might cause sugarcane to lose some of its strength, but it is one of the best compostable food service materials for hot temperatures and container/plate applications.
Bagasse or sugarcane is fully compostable and breaks down best in commercial compost facilities. In commercial composting conditions, bagasse will compost in approximately 45-60 days. Composting may take longer in a home composting bin, so we recommend disposing of it in a commercial compost facility only.
Our very own Sustainability Maven serves up a delicious nugget of green geekery every other week. If this little taste leaves you hungry for more, you can always cruise over to the Greenology and/or Training sections at EcoProducts.com for a full helping. If you have a question you can’t find the answer to you can email her at sustainabilitymaven@ecoproducts.com