Traditional plastic forks shed harmful microplastics. Plastic created from sugar is an alternative
Associated Press
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Katie Byun holds up a compostable knife, which was made with plastic made from plants, that was starting to break down after about two months in a home composting test bin, at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Justin Sandler holds up fresh compost, which was made from a variety of materials including cups, cutlery, bin liners and food scraps at Black Earth Compost, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Justin Sandler adds a bag of compost to a pallet at Black Earth Compost, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Biopolymer pellets, used in manufacturing a variety of compostable cups and utensils, is displayed at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Peter Steeves, a polymer engineer at CJ Biomaterials, watches a compostable fork, made of plastic from plants, is molded in a testing laboratory Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Compostable straws and a fork, which were made from plastic made from plants, are displayed at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)A multi-use compostable paper towel that contains plastic from plants is displayed at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Lab technician Fen Spinney calibrates a machine that is used in compounding bioplastic pellets at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)The BPI logo is displayed on a cup made from bioplastic pellets, which is certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute as compostable, at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Katie Byun places a biodegradable bag into a compost collection bin in the lunch room at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)Paul Milonopolous rinses out the dump box after offloading fresh organic matter, which included biodegradable cups, cutlery and bin liners that were mixed in with food scraps and lobster shells, that will be used to make compost at Black Earth Compost, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Katie Byun holds up a compostable knife, which was made with plastic made from plants, that was starting to break down after about two months in a home composting test bin, at CJ Biomaterials, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Woburn, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)