If your company wants to go green and reduce its carbon footprint, cut down on waste with biodegradable knives, spoons and forks. Every year more than 400,000 pounds of plastic forks, spoons and knives find their way to landfills across the United States. Switching your company's plasticware to biodegradable alternatives reduces the amount of waste you create and the amount of plastic in landfills.

Bear in mind the biodegradable knives' temperature and decomposition time when selecting the best product for you. Potato-based knives are resistant to medium to high heat, but they require the longest time to decompose. Corn-based or wheat-based knives can handle more heat than potato-based knives and decompose in a shorter amount of time. Vegetable starch knives withstand the most heat and decompose quickly.

1. Buy potato-based biodegradable knives.

2. Find corn-based or wheat-based biodegradable knives.

3. Purchase vegetable starch-based biodegradable knives.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find biodegradable knives made from potatoes

Potato-based biodegradable knives can withstand heats up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. These biodegradable knives completely decompose within 200 days.

I recommend: Visit the Eco-Wise website to find biodegradable knives and other environmentally-friendly utensils. Green Home is a leading biodegradable knives provider and allows customers to buy the knives in cases of 1,000. Vegware carries potato-based cutlery by the case in multi-packs for resale and in single packs that include a spoon, fork and napkin.

Purchase biodegradable knives made from corn or wheat

Corn-based or wheat-based knives are made to withstand heat up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Biodegradable knives made of wheat or corn decompose in 100 days when in a compost pile.

I recommend: Earthware Biodegradables sells corn-based biodegradable knives wholesale to many food service and retail companies. Search the biodegradable knives list at Wheatware.com to find compostable knives made from wheat or corn. Read biodegradable knives information and find biodegradable knives at CoffeeGIANT.com.

Locate a biodegradable knives provider that specializes in vegetable starch-based products

Biodegradable cutlery made from vegetable starches holds up in heat between 150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the thickness of the product. These biodegradable knives completely decompose in within 100 days.

I recommend: Browse the biodegradable knives directory of products at BioSmart to find biodegradable knives. Branch is a biodegradable knives provider and manufacturer. The Green Supply Company provides customers with biodegradable knives in packages of 500 and 1,000.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  All decomposition times for compostable knives that are mentioned above are for a commercial composter. When using a non-commercial composter add 15 to 20 days to the total.