Tom's Of Maine Looks At Bio-Plastics From Potatoes For Sustainable Packaging

Tom’s of Maine is working with researchers at the University of Maine and the Sustainable BioPlastics Council of Maine to develop polylactic acid packaging using potatoes not fit for human consumption. Tom’s Goodness Report, which was launched in March 2013, details the company’s sustainability goals, such as reducing waste sent to landfills by half by 2015, cutting water consumption by almost half, and decreasing the use of virgin materials from 60 percent to 40 percent by 2020. Packaging is also highlighted as an area the company can improve upon to raise the overall sustainability level of its business operations. While many other companies have added PLA plant-based plastics into their packaging, most efforts tend to involve plastics made from corn.