Lets clear up some of the misconceptions
No greenwashing
Frequently asked questions
So Many Claims, So Little Clarity - Here’s What Sets PHA Apart
There’s a lot of noise, and confusion when it comes to sustainable bioplastics, so it’s important to cut through it and explain why PHA stands out as the truly sustainable option.
Materials like PLA, PE and Aqueous are often marketed as eco-friendly, but they come with significant limitations. PE, while recyclable and durable, is still derived from fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource, and despite being recyclable, only around 7–9% of plastics actually end up recycled. The rest is often sent to landfill or ends up in our oceans.
PLA is a small step forward, as it's made from renewable sources like corn starch or sugarcane, but it still has major hurdles. It needs very specific industrial conditions to break down, conditions most of us just don’t have access to, making it far less practical in real life.
PHA, on the other hand, is the game-changer, designed by nature to return to nature, with no compromise.
It’s a common myth! While “aqueous” sounds like water, aqueous linings are actually made from synthetic resins and polymers that contain plastic. They often require industrial composting and can still leave behind microplastics in the environment.
In contrast, PHA is a naturally occurring biopolymer produced by microorganisms. It’s certified home compostable (AS 5810), marine safe, and completely biodegradable, even in soil or ocean environments. It breaks down without leaving toxic residues or microplastics, making it the most environmentally responsible material available today.
Yes, Sydney based Terra Sol is proudly Australian made and designed. We work in partnership with EcoPHA, a leading biotech company based in Melbourne and Perth.
Yes, all Terra Sol products are certified to AS 5810, the Australian standard for home compostability - one of the strictest certifications in the world.
Home compost is considered the ideal option from a waste management and circular economy perspective, it puts nutrients back into the soil, keeps waste out of landfill, and is fully within our control.
Compost bins are expected to be added alongside regular street bins in the near future, making proper disposal even easier, but if they do end up in landfill, soil, or even the ocean, they’ll still break down naturally.
Marine environments are not controlled environments, so while it’s amazing that PHA breaks down there (and this sets it apart from all other materials), we still don’t want to encourage littering or imply it's okay for products to end up in nature.
So, it’s less about speed and more about doing the right thing.
PHA can fully break down in under six months in a home compost, and even faster in natural environments like soil or the ocean. While compost is technically a type of soil, it’s a carefully managed setting with the perfect balance of microbes, moisture, and oxygen to support the breakdown process.
What makes PHA so amazing is that it doesn’t need those ideal conditions, even if it ends up in garden soil, landfill, or the sea, it will still break down safely.
No. While PHA is technically a bioplastic, it is not fossil-fuel derived and contains no harmful synthetic additives.
PHA has been scientifically known since the 1920s, but commercially viable production has only emerged in the last 10 to 15 years due to advances in biotechnology.
In Australia, the use of PHA in packaging (especially with AS 5810 certification) is a brand new breakthrough - truly an Australian first.
Terra Sol™ is a registered trademark owned and operated by Terra Sol Studio Pty Ltd.