How to Make Your Own Biodegradable Plates

Make biodegradable paper plates from recycled paper.

Biodegradable paper plates save the environment by disintegrating faster than plastic or Styrofoam. Biodegradable paper plates made from recycled paper also help the environment by using less resources. Purchasing biodegradable plates is expensive, and they are not found in all locations that carry paper plates. Make your own homemade biodegradable paper plates from recycled paper. Bleach the color from the recycled paper using a small amount of chlorine bleach. The process to complete a homemade biodegradable paper plate will take up to a week to complete.

Things You'll Need

• Paper shredder
• 8-cup measuring cup
• 1 gallon pan or large canner
• Wooden spoon
• Stove
• Hot pads or oven mitts
• Large strainer
• Blender
• Glass bowl
• 1/4 cup chlorine bleach
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 3 tbsp. antiseptic mouthwash
• Mixer
• Plastic, glass or ceramic dinner plate

Instructions

1. Shred 15 to 20 sheets of paper. Fill an 8-cup measuring cup with the shredded paper and water. Let the paper soak for 30 minutes.

2. Drain the water from the measuring cup. Pour the soaked shredded paper strips into the 1-gallon pan or large canner. Add 16 cups of water.

3. Turn the stove on to a medium to medium-high heat. Boil the paper strips for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every five to 10 minutes.

4. Allow the paper to cool for 30 minutes. Add one handful of wet paper strips and 1 cup water to the blender. Beat for 30 seconds until the paper strips have turned to a pulp. Pour the pulp into a glass bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining soaked paper strips.

5. Add 1/4 cup chlorine bleach to the paper pulp if bleaching is desired. Allow the bleach to remain on the paper for 15 minutes. Stir the mixture every five minutes.

6. Pour the pulp into a strainer to remove excess water. Spray the pulp with cool water for three minutes if you used bleach. Allow the water to drain off the pulp. Repeat the process one more time. Do not push on the pulp when it is in the strainer. Pour the strained pulp into the glass bowl.

7. Add 1 cup wheat flour and 3 tbsp. antiseptic mouthwash to the paper pulp. Mix the pulp with a hand mixer for five minutes or until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

8. Place a plastic, glass or ceramic dinner plate on a flat surface. Cover the surface with a 1/8-inch layer of the paper pulp mixture. Place a spoonful of paper pulp on the plate surface. Mold the paper pulp to the surface of the plastic, glass or ceramic plate by pressing with your fingers. Add more pulp until the surface is covered.

9. Set the pressed paper plate in a safe area to dry. The paper pulp will take from three to five days to dry completely depending on the humidity and temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• Dry the paper plate faster by making it on a ceramic or glass dinner plate. Put the plate in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Remove the plate from the oven and allow to cool. Slide the biodegradable paper plate from the surface of the ceramic or glass dinner plate.