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They seem like an obvious buy: "compostable" plates, drink cups and cutlery -- environmentally-friendly alternatives to regular plastic food containers that can be tossed onto the compost pile with food scraps.

And sales of these products are expected to rise as more restaurants, universities and other institutions start composting food waste in order to reduce both garbage collection fees and methane gas emissions, and rebuild soils in their region.

But the compostable products hitting store shelves in increasing numbers won't suit everyone. They aren't designed for home composting, nor will they readily decompose in the landfill.

Find out if they will work for you:

What are compostable products?

Compostable food containers and garbage bags are created out of plant fibers, such as corn, potato or sugarcane starches, instead of petroleum-derived materials that take hundreds of years to decompose. Compostable products differ from "biodegradable" products in that the former break down at a similar rate to food and don't leave any toxic residues.

Why should I buy them?

Regular plastics, such as conventional garbage bags and drink bottles, can contaminate the composting process and drive up costs at commercial facilities. Thus, manufacturers encourage generators of large amounts of food waste to streamline the composting process by using these special products. They can also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions (methane) and reduce American dependence on petroleum.

"It may be cheaper for you as a generator (of food waste) to use regular plastic but all you do is pass the cost off to someone else," said Steve Mojo, of the Biodegradable Products Institute. "At the end of the day you can't compost regular plastics."

Who should not use them?

Manufacturers advise that businesses and institutions send their waste to commercial compost facilities that can generate the heat needed to break the materials down in a timely fashion. Home composters and businesses that do not have access to an industrial or municipal compost facility do not need to purchase these products as they are inappropriate for landfills.

That means groups holding "zero waste" weddings, festivals and other events need to research their options, such as contracting with a caterer who has access to such a facility.

Some people worry these products will have negative unintended consequences on food production. Andy Sarjahani, a sustainability coordinator at Virginia Tech University, said some of these products are made from genetically-modified crops grown with soil-depleting fertilizers and other chemicals. He recently shared his concerns at a compostable products seminar in Greensboro.

"I just find it ironic that we are making products to compost to help rebuild the soil but the way we are growing these products basically degrades the soil," he said.

Sarjahani encourages institutions to rely on reusable tableware and avoid disposable to-go containers.

How do I verify that the products will break down as claimed?

Look for products that are third-party certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute or meet the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) D6400 or D6868 standards specifications. This guarantees that the products have been proven to biodegrade within 90 days and will not contaminate soil.

Where can I find the products?

Find certified products at the Biodegradable Products Institute. Blue Ridge Food Brokers in Greensboro sells Vegware.

Primo Water Corp. in Winston-Salem sells compostable and recyclable bottled water. Green is Green in Charlotte sells World Centric products. Other well-known brands include NatureWorks, Renew-A-Pak and Stalk Market.

Where can I find a commercial compost facility?

The Triad currently lacks such a facility.

North Carolina has four commercial facilities that compost food scraps, according to lists by the Biodegradable Products Institute and the N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance.

Those are Brooks Contractors in Goldston, McGill Environmental Systems in Harrells, Stanley Environmental Systems, and T-A-D-S Trash & Recycle Service in Asheville.

Brooks Contractors in Goldston serves Triangle organizations, but has expressed interest in serving the Greensboro area.

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or morgan.josey@news-record.com