Oxo-degradable plastic is ordinary plastic — usually polyethylene or polypropylene — with an additive blended in that speeds up oxidation, causing the material to become brittle and fragment faster than it otherwise would. It is not a new or inherently “green” polymer. It’s conventional plastic engineered to fall apart sooner, on the assumption that microorganisms…

That fork stamped “compostable” feels like a free pass. Use it once, toss it in with your food scraps, and let nature handle the rest. It’s not that simple. Compostable plastics are engineered to break down — but only under specific composting conditions. The label doesn’t mean the product will vanish in soil, in the…