Biosphere packaging products are affordable, high performance, earth friendly starch based packaging systems. Not made by converting starch into plastic, but by baking it, like making bread, waffles or ice cream cones. These products are an advancement in Green Technology for the food service industry and will change the way disposable products affect our environment.

Biosphere Industries has successfully refined this baking technology to manufacture rigid packaging products that perform unlike anything else on earth.

Biosphere's patented base material has been exclusively made of starches such as tapioca and potatoes and a smaller percentage of bamboo fibers making them not only biodegradable, but Earth friendly using mostly yearly renewable raw materials. The Renew-a-Pak dual ovenable packaging product line can go from freezer to oven to table service. 

General Biosphere Materials Data

1.     Biosphere® is a registered trademark of Biosphere® Industries LLC Company and is used on all its packaging products, printed materials, and advertisements.

2.     All Biosphere® materials are made by baking native Tapioca Starch and a smaller amount of bamboo fiber. The Biosphere® factory is setup as a bakery and products are baked into their final shape.

3.     All Biosphere® products are designed for short term single use applications.

4.     All Biosphere® materials are dual ovenable and can withstand microwave or oven temperatures up to 420° degrees and freeze well down to -20°.

5.     All Biosphere® materials are cool to the touch (they do not retain or transfer heat like metals do) making them less likely to burn the user.

6.     Biosphere® has invented the ability to create threaded products such as containers with screw on lids.

7.     Biosphere® materials can be made in colors using pigments. To date, Biosphere® has developed Natural (our basic material), Black, Blue, Red, Yellow and Green.

8.     All Biosphere® materials are FDA approved for food contact. BEP (Biosphere® Edible Products) are designed to be eaten while PPM100 is designed for food contact only.

9.     Biosphere® cut sheet data is provided on individual product pages within the SALA-DFSP website.

10.     Requests for production product samples can be made at BIO-Samples . Samples are provided free, you pay only shipping by UPS Ground.

11.     Information on prototype samples, prototype molds or new coating regimes are provided by Biosphere®. You may contact us for the request form listing prototype samples.

12. Biosphere® Industries has developed 4 basic materials to date.

a.     PPM100 (Primary Packaging Material 100) is the basic food contact approved substrate for low moisture applications.

b.     PPM200 (Primary Packaging Material 200) is the basic food contact approved substrate with a moisture resistant coating. This coating is normally applied to the useable side of the product but can be applied to both sides if needed for a particular application. The moisture resistant coating is designed to provide a short term barrier for applications such as frozen prepared meals, food service products and in refrigerated applications where the product is coated on both sides. Be aware that a moisture resistant coating is not bullet proof so It is advisable to contact us with information about the intended application before placing an order. Industrial applications have also been developed for these products.

c.     PPM300 (Primary Packaging Material 300) is the basic food contact approved substrate with a release coating. This coating is designed for baking applications where the user desires some ability for easy release. Be aware the coating has some limitations and its functionality depends on the user’s particular recipe.

d.     BEP100 (Biosphere® Edible Packaging 100) is designed with a 100% edible formulation. Biosphere® currently has approval to provide samples for consumer testing and development but not for production as we are still updating our facility. Products such as edible dog dishes have been developed and samples can be requested. Commercial production of edible items is not far in the future.

Certifications

Biosphere® products have passed several compostability and biodegradability testing and certifications.

a.     BPI certification for PPM100 products from www.bpiworld.org.

This is the U.S. certification entity for compostables. Biosphere® products have been tested to ASTM D-6400-99 and have received the BPI certificate document. Biosphere® is still in the process of testing the PPM200 and PPM300 coatings.

b.     Cedar Grove Composting Certification from www.cedar-grove.com

This certification is for the northwest where many companies require Cedar Grove approval for composting. Biosphere® natural products recently received certification for coated and uncoated natural products. Pigmented colored products are still in the testing process and Biosphere® is diligently working to make sure that all products are approved.

c.     Din/Certco Certification from www.dincertco.de

This is the E.U. certification agency. Biosphere® has received certification for natural and colored products per ASTM D-6400:2400. Biosphere® is currently in the testing process for PPM200 and PPM300 coatings.

d.     Canadian Certification.

Biosphere® has received certification for food contact on all natural products. Uncoated products are limited to microwave applications due to the die used to assure full coating coverage. If this becomes an issue Biosphere® will explore alternatives to eliminate such issues. Uncoated products have no limitations.

e.     Keller and Heckman Food Law Opinion Letters. www.khlaw.com

Biosphere® has received food law opinion letters for its PPM100, PPM200, PPM300 and BEP100 products including all colors.

f.     Duncan Food Extraction Testing.

All Biosphere products available for sale have passed Cryovac’s extractive testing requirements.

g.     Marine Testing.

Tested by the U.S. Navy, Biosphere® materials were found to degrade in the marine environment in approximately three weeks as opposed to paper products which require up to three years to degrade.

h.     All Biosphere® products are GMO free based on the raw materials used.

i. Biosphere® has MSDS sheets available for their products.

Several successful products are currently available. The following is a list of successful product introductions currently for sale.

Note: Biosphere® materials are normally thicker than the aluminum or cpet trays that they replace. In applications where dough is pressed into these products a new or modified dough pres head would be required to accommodate this condition.