Q: What makes Return products different from the products we now buy?
A: Plates, cups and utensils that we now buy are made from paper, plastic coated paper or different kinds of plastic. All of them take significantly more energy to make and some can be round for 1,000 years after you are through using them. Return products are made using a patented process from starch and other materials made from plants. They take far less energy to produce and can return to soil in 180 days when composted in a professionally managed facility. Return products are "the throwaway that goes away"
Q: Is it safe to microwave foods on Return products?
A: Testing by an independent laboratory has demonstrated Yumi Return products do not release any harmful chemicals when used to cook or reheat food in a microwave oven.
Q: There have been products in the market before made from plant starch that cannot be exposed to heat, without quickly deforming. Will the same happen with Return products?
A: No. All Return products can be used for either hot or cold foods and beverages, soup or stew without worry. The temperature range that these products can sustain is from -40 to +300 degrees.
Q: Is the material in Return products safe?
A: Yes. The ingredients are made from natural plants. It has passed all US FDA tests for food safety.
Q: Do Return products contain genetically modified ingredients?
A: No. Return products are certified to be GMO free.
Q: Is Return material bleach free?
A: Yes, Return products are bleach free which explains the slightly off white color which is the natural color of the plant starch. No bleaches or solvents are used in the manufacturing process to make the products white.
Q: Are Return products certified for biodegradability?
A: Return plates, cups, bowls and other products have passed both the American standard (ASTM D6400) and European standard (EN13432) of biodegradability.
Q: Can I throw Return products on the side of the road?
A: No. It is not a good idea, nor is it legal in many states, to simply throw them on the side of the road. Ideally, these products are best disposed of by composting. If that is not possible, throwing them in the trash they will break down eventually over a longer period of time.
Q: Return products are compostable, but what happens if it ends up in a landfill? Have we really accomplished anything?
A: Yes, the benefits of using Return renewable, biodegradable materials are real even if you cannot compost them. These benefits, compared to either paper or plastic, include reduced greenhouse gas and reduced consumption of energy in their manufacture.
Q: What kind of impact can I have as a single customer?
A: Individual consumers in the United States alone use about 40 billion paper and 35 billion plastic and foam cold cups every year. 16 billion paper hot cups and 25 billion paper foam hot cups are also used in the US every year. Each package of our plates or cups saves the equivalent of one gallon of gasoline in the amount of energy used to make paper or plastic.
Q: What are the other ingredients in Return and are they biodegradable?
A: The other ingredients are all completely biodegradable polymers; all approved by the FDA for food safety.
Q: What materials are Return products made of?
A: Return products are made from natural (Non GMO) plant starch, natural polyesters, food safe colors and other biodegradable ingredients.
Q: What is the shelf life of Return products?
A: Yumi Return products once exposed to sunlight and air will begin to become brittle after two years. We suggest that unused product be kept in its original packing and stored in a cool dark place.
- View Video On This Product
