ErthCycle

The Plastic Pollution Solution

Sustainability

Fossil fuels are one of the top five contributors to greenhouse gases (GHG) and are the key ingredient in all plastic. But ErthCycle products are different, from the beginning of their life to the end.

Beginning of Life

From the start, ErthCycle products are produced with up to 40% fewer fossil fuels than standard plastic packaging because we infuse our packaging with two natural additives, the first of which is calcium carbonate (aka limestone). Our calcium carbonate additive decreases the overall amount of carbon produced in creation, therefore making ErthCycle an infinitely better alternative to standard plastics.

End of Life

The second natural additive to ErthCycle products is Eco-One® technology. While this organic material is added during creation, it comes into play once ErthCycle products are discarded. Eco-One® technology organically biodegrades ErthCycle packaging within a landfill environment at greatly accelerated rates.

So, what makes this better? The key is biodegradation versus degradation. Imagine you have two XL pizzas, one made of standard plastic and one made of ErthCycle. When the standard plastic pizza is discarded, it begins to degrade, being sliced into millions of pieces…but it’s still an XL pizza’s worth of standard plastic. The end result of ErthCycle’s biodegradation is no pizza at all, thanks to our Eco-One® technology. When materials biodegrade, they do break into smaller pieces. So, at one point in the ErthCycle pizza’s life cycle, there will be “micro-ErthCycle-pizzas.” But then our microbes continue to consume that ErthCycle pizza until nothing is left besides harmless calcium. The “microplastics” that happen during ErthCycle’s biodegradation won’t infiltrate our waterways or bloodstreams to the same extent as the ones created by standard plastics.

STANDARD PLASTIC PIZZA

Standard Plastic Pizza

ERTHCYCLE PIZZA

ErthCycle Pizza

Below are current ASTMD5511 testing data on ErthCycle products, which simulate a landfill environment. Under this testing protocol, ErthCycle’s polypropylene and polyethylene (read, plastics) biodegraded 76.7% in 695 days (less than two years). Standard plastic packaging can take up to 500 years to degrade, sometimes even longer! Check out the data (it’s cool data, seriously)!

TableSustainability Graph

Outside of the ASTM D5511 method and on the assumption that the positive control (Celulose) will fully biodegrade, all values have been proportionally adjusted. Wanna dive deeper? Check out the full report here.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? GIVE IT TO ME STRAIGHT.

It means that ErthCycle plastics are here to change the game!

So, here’s a question: If ErthCycle products biodegrade at an accelerated rate, doesn’t that mean they release gas at faster rates than typical plastic packaging? Isn’t that…bad?

Short answer: Not necessarily.

Long answer: ErthCycle packaging releases gas at a faster rate than standard plastic packaging because it is actually biodegrading, while the standard plastic is slowly (like, 500 years slowly) breaking down. ErthCycle products do not have a fragmentation mechanism like standard plastics do; our products are not creating microplastics.

1.) Because ErthCycle uses up to 40% fewer fossil fuels than standard plastics, it means that our product off-gases less than standard plastics. ErthCycle has shown a significant reduction in carbon output when compared to standard plastics. In fact, ErthCycle has been awarded a Carbon Credit Reduction Certification.

2.) The EPA has created a Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), partnering with landfills to capture off-gasing and turn it into new, reusable energy. So…can we say that even at the end of ErthCycle’s life, these products can still contribute back to our future? We’ll let you decide. ツ

We’re not claiming to be the product that will solve the climate crisis (we wish we were!). We are a driven team with an innovative product that is actively working against plastic pollution in our oceans and landfills. Practical sustainability by massive corporations is a better next step than no step at all. ErthCycle is offering all companies, big and small, an easy, cost-neutral way to make a real, tangible difference with their products and curb their plastic waste.

As we continue forward, our team plans to build partnerships with participating LMOP facilities across the U.S. The EPA has retrofitted hundreds of U.S. landfills to capture the off-gasing of methane and CO2 and then convert those gases into alternative energy. As ErthCycle products end up in LMOP landfills, their biodegradation suddenly becomes more than environmentally friendly – it becomes new alternative energy! In addition, our dedicated team is continuing to research and innovate additional ways to combat pollution and climate change. Stay tuned because there’s more to come… ツ

Certifications

Christina Blanchard

Design

Christina started her web design business at the height of COVID-19 when everything was shut down. She was inspired by other young entrepreneurs to take a leap of faith and leave her stable job to pursue her passion. Almost two years later, she has designed close to 30 brands and websites for people all over the country. When she was approached by ErthCycle to come on board as their brand designer, she knew it was the perfect fit. When she’s not working away on her laptop, you can find Christina managing a spin + yoga studio in Arizona.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP: TRY THRIFTING BEFORE BUYING NEW. YOU CAN FIND REALLY HIGH QUALITY, UNIQUE PIECES AT SECOND-HAND STORES AND GIVE THEM A NEW LIFE IN YOUR OWN HOME!

Paige Schuck

Marketing

Paige fell in love with ErthCycle in her friend’s backyard at 1:00 a.m. on a random Thursday as she drilled Coop with questions about the product around a firepit. Ever since that fateful night, Paige has been bursting with passion for this product and the desire to bring ErthCycle into the sustainability sphere. She has quickly learned and absorbed all things ErthCycle, and she cannot wait to share it with the world. She takes care of all of the front-end stuff – socials, marketing, blogging, PR, etc. She’s used to wearing many hats and enjoys keeping on her toes. She earned her BA in English and has discovered her passion for writing about intersectional sustainability, educating others about the climate crisis, and informing people of the actions we can take as individuals. She’s also a big fan of her cats, Gnocchi, Rigatoni, and Cheese (oh yeah), hoarding glass jars, shopping secondhand, and cooking. Oh, and eating – can’t forget eating.

Sustainability Tip: One of my favorite ways to reduce food waste (and get a bang for your buck) is to collect food scraps in your freezer and then make your own stock/bone broth!

Dana Bayliss

Logistics

Dana has managed international finance and logistics for over 20 years, starting as a co-business owner with the company GlobalFlex. Adding her legal background and passion for the environment, she brings strong levity and knowledge of the global market to the ErthCycle team. Dana grew up on the beaches of Laguna Beach, CA, and at a very young age, discovered her passion for all things ocean, both in and out of the water. She has been a long-standing supporter of multiple environmental foundations and organizations and is extremely excited to be a part of the ErthCycle team. Dana’s perfect day? Morning yoga or hiking with her daughter, riding waves or paddle boarding, and spending time with her family, friends, and dog, Bowie.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP: BE MINDFUL OF YOUR DAILY ACTIONS AND DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POSITIVE IMPACT YOU CAN MAKE BY CREATING NEW OR BETTER HABITS. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, BUT IT IS USELESS WITHOUT ACTION.

Jerry Wu

Co-Founder

Jerry has been in the packaging manufacturing business since 2006. Educated at City University in London, followed by his 16 years of experience in running numerous manufacturing facilities in China, Jerry’s business and plastics expertise are renowned. Jerry’s shared passion for the environment and 16-year business and personal relationship with Coop led to his initial development of ErthCycle. As co-creator and co-founder of ErthCycle, Jerry continues his work toward a cleaner planet. He is driven by his love of his children and family and his belief in the possibility of a cleaner environment.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP: ERTHCYCLE HELPS MAKE US GREENER AND CREATES A FUTURE FOR HUMANITY.

Cooper “Coop” Bayliss

Co-Founder

Cooper Bayliss, better known as Coop, has worked in the packaging industry since 1987 as the CEO/president of two packaging companies, United Distributors Inc. and GlobalFlex. Coop’s passion for the environment, knowledge of plastics, and global business partners led to the creation of ErthCycle. As co-creator and co-founder, Coop’s singular goal is to find, create, and introduce any and all viable solutions to the climate crisis that can help bring a clean, safe future to our planet. Coop is also a semi-retired professional singer-songwriter and musician. When the daily challenges of climate change occasionally become too intense, he has his music to turn to for peace and balance.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP: EVEN THE SMALLEST EFFORT CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. LITTLE THINGS TURN INTO BIG THINGS AND ONE PERSON CAN BECOME ALL PEOPLE. BE THE CHANGE!