Sustainable Biodegradable Spoons

Plastic waste is piling up in America's landfills, but there's a solution: bioplastics. Correspondent Dan Goldstein tells us how these products are made, who's helping to put them in wide use among consumers and how they can help both the environment and the economy. Dan also shows us why some people are concerned about both the production and disposal of bioplastics, and what the industry is doing about it.

Frederic Scheer, CEO of Cereplast, explains the process for making bioplastic resin, how his products can be safely composted, and how his industry contributes to the green economy. Next, we visit a factory in Mexico, where the resin is molded into plastic tableware. Dan interviews Andrew Hug of the Environmental Working Group, who says he's concerned that growing additional corn for non-food use will use unnecessary land and keep the soil from being replenished with nutrients it needs to sustain food crops. Dan also looks at the industry's response to a study from North Carolina State University that reveals how decomposing bioplastics can release methane into the atmosphere. Finally, we hear how the restaurant industry is adopting bioplastics from George McKerrow, CEO of Ted's Montana Grill.