SAN ANTONIO – Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or you just want a break from washing dishes, paper plates can come in handy.
But if you're worried about adding more trash to the landfills, there are plates you can toss in your compost.
Paper plates are perfect for a no-fuss party, but the tossed plates do add up.
So what about those paper plates with claims they'll break down right in your compost?
Hefty says its Eco Plates are biodegradable in home composting. Chinet says its eco-friendly plates are made of recycled materials and they're compostable.
Consumer Reports put the Chinet Classic and Hefty Basic to the test.
"I put one of each plate into a separate compost bin and then I went back each week and checked progress," said Consumer Reports' Bernie Dietrick.
To compare, he composted regular Dixie Ultras and America's Choice.
Of course, you don't want the plates to "break down" while you're eating.
So they tested them at a picnic and for chili. No chili leaked through, but steam did.
The driest? The Dixie Ultras.
As for composting, the Hefty plates disintegrated after three weeks. The Chinet, five weeks.
The regular plates broke down, too, but it took three months.
So if going green is important, the Chinet or the Hefty Basics can get the job done the fastest and they dont cost a lot more.