Technology for the Production of Environment Friendly Tableware

From the point of view of environmental protection, it is reasonable to stop using disposable tableware that has been made from polluting plastics and to start using biodegradable and compostable products. Biodegradable and compostable tableware is significantly more environment and nature friendly than disposable plastic tableware and drinkware. The by-products (mostly bran) from the milling of wheat, corn and rice and palm leaves are used for the production of tableware. In the Baltic States, including Estonia, it is reasonable to use wheat bran, rye bran and buckwheat bran and the mixtures of these brans. The aim of this research was to provide the technical and technological know-how for the production of environment friendly disposable tableware and to verify the suitability of the new technological means. In order to achieve the aim, a punch and a die were modelled to produce disposable plates with desired parameters, materials and work modes for the material were chosen and, thereafter, the plates were produced from bran using a physical punch and die and using a suitable moulding mode or temperature and compression duration and using prescribed compressive forces. The mechanical properties like density and flexural strength of the moulded plates were determined.