Testing Research
Products similar to out reusable/biodegradable utensil have been researched at the Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service which investigated bio-based products and compared them to normal single use plastic utensils in terms of strength/stiffness. The General Services Administration (GSA) provides a commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-3109B “Fork, Knife, and Spoon, Picnic (Plastic)” which specifies the performance criteria a disposable cutlery must adhere too in order to be eligible for federal purchase. Specifically, the CID defines maximum deflection of utensils under load among other tests. The Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Service tested bio-based and petrochemical-based cutlery products with respect to these similar specifications. These bio-based utensils were to meet the flexibility specifications, and relative performance in terms of strength and stiffness similar to conventional (petrochemical based) disposable utensils. The GSA states that each type of utensil (fork, knife, and spoon) must meet certain deflection requirements and any deflection exceeding the value results in failure of the product.
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Sources
- https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.atmae.org/resource/resmgr/Comparison_and_Analysis_-_33.pdf
- https://www.dla.mil/Portals/104/Documents/TroopSupport/Subsistence/Rations/cids/aa3109b.pdf