Got a burning question about climate change? 'You Asked' is a series where Earth Institute experts tackle reader questions on science and sustainability. To submit a question, drop a comment below, message us on Instagram, or us here.
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Today's question comes via our Earth Month Q&A on Instagram:
Answer provided by Phebe Pierson
While there are some options for slightly less wasteful trash bags out there, they're not the best. You could go for bags made from 100% post-consumer-recycled plastics, meaning that no new plastic was created to make the product. But these will sit in the landfill just like any other plastic bag.
There are also compostable/biodegradable options, although these tend to be more expensive and less sturdy. Seams can easily break and the bags don't really stretch. Plus, while 'compostable' sounds promising, they don't break down in landfills either; the material used to make these types of bags is meant to be disposed of in high-heat industrial composting facilities.
Most landfills don't get to the temperatures needed for compostable bags to break down, meaning they will essentially mummify along with the other trash in the landfill. This is true of 'bioplastic' bags, cups and utensils, too, by the way.
One advantage of compostable trash bags is that they won't eventually turn into teeny tiny bits of plastic in the ocean. But when you really look at what's collecting in the ocean, it's more likely shopping bags, water bottles, and other single-use items that are easily blown around, not full trash bags. In fact, most microplastics that end up in our water come from clothing made with plastic materials like nylon, spandex, and polyester.
The only surefire way to be truly eco-friendly about trash bags is to create less trash, so you don't need as many! To do that, here are some tips to reduce your waste:
This is a long list and it may seem overwhelming, but you won't be doing all these things at once. Always use up what you have before replacing it'no need to throw something perfectly functional away just because it's made of plastic. But if you start aiming for zero waste every time you need something from the store or every time you need a new item at home, you'll start making a big difference over time.
I wish you luck in your zero waste journey!
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Last Updated on September 30, by Sneha Sridhar
We do not want to begin this one with startling, shocking (and disappointing) data that will make you tut-tut at where the world is going. We know that it is disappointing out there and that we can always make it a little better.
In fact, the tut-tutting is good- a lot of people want to decrease their carbon footprint and plastic use to save our oceans from becoming a landfill. And this trickles down to the surge in using biodegradable garbage bags recently.
And here we are at the good part after what seemed like eons of lecturing about the DOs and DON'Ts of biodegradable and compostable disposal options. We want to tell you that this list doesn't only feature bags and liners you can use to dispose of your kitchen waste, but bags you can use to clean up after your little critter has done their poo-poo. All these options are BPI-certified, so go right ahead and get your pick!
1. Reli. Compostable Trash Bags
These 13-Gallon packets of goodness are trouble-free to handle apart from being green and clean. Reli. bags use EPI additives that facilitate easy breakdown in 24 ' 36 months, which is about 100- times faster than other trash bags.
Moreover, these bags are high-density, which means you can engage in conscious recycling without worrying about a ripped seam or leakage.
2. Boba and Vespa Planet Digestible Dog Poop Bags
Boba and Vespa are package-free and compostable goodies. Ideal for picking up dog poop and cat litter, these bags are made from a formulation of maize flour and vegetable oil. In case you want to check out how you can dispose off dog poop in a better way, you should give this article a quick read to know how.
According to their website, Boba and Vespa's products are 100 percent compostable- right from packaging to manufacture. This is why we encourage you to give this one brand a shot!
3. UNNI ASTM D 100% Compostable Trash Bags
UNNI's plant-based starch bags are pretty impressive, and swear by ethical credentials along with offering an arsenal of disposal products right from 13 Gallon trash bags to drawstring bags, pet poop disposal bags, and replacement bags!
Unni is a 100 percent compostable brand that bears BPI and TUV AUSTRIA certifications and contains no polyethylene along with being BPA free. You can find these green bags on Amazon as well as on their official website, here.
4. BioBag Compostable Countertop Food Scrap Bags
BioBag is kind of the OG of green garbage bags and has 20 years under its belt as far as the brand's advents toward sustainability are concerned.
With their expansive range of liners that can fit every bin ' at home or otherwise, BioBag is really shaking things up out there.
These bags come with a load of convincing certifications like ISO, ISO, GMO-free, TUV AUSTRIA (HOME, SOIL, AND INDUSTRIAL), and BPI (ASTM D), and AS . With BioBag, you can join them in their resolve to be an Earth hero!
5. Hippo Sak Plant-Based Tall Kitchen Bags
Hippo Sak's tall kitchen trash bags claim to be stronger and ten times better than your regular plastic bags. The brand is committed to generating a low carbon footprint and ranks high on the quality scale.
We also love their Ocean Plastic range which is made from plastics that are accumulated on the beaches of developing nations. Not only this through their advent, the brand is also giving jobs to impoverished families who can afford a meal by collecting a Super Sack of plastic.
6. Lowe's Garbax 5-Pack 30-Gallon Brown Outdoor Paper Leaf Trash Bag
While paper bags have limited utility because they aren't moisture-proof, the reason we feature this brand on our list is that they are entirely biodegradable without plastics.
What's a better alternative than paper to store your leaves from the garden and then let them go back to the same nature that birthed them? Lowe's bags come with a sturdy double-wall and flat bottom along with a good capacity to store the trash.
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7. Stout
Stout bags are high-quality, durable, and reliable garbage bags designed to handle tough and heavy loads of waste. These bags are known for their strength and ability to resist punctures, tears, and leaks.
These biodegradable garbage bags also come imbibed with the efforts of visually impaired people who make them. Also, they are more durable and cheaper than other popular garbage bag brands!
8. UniDomum
UniDomum affirms its commitment to sustainability through its heavy-duty compostable range of trash bags.
These products are not only 100% biodegradable and compostable, but they are also BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute), under US ASTM D and by TUV Austria under European EN Standard (OK Compost) certified. Super-leak proof and value for money, UniDomum trash bags are the right direction to take.
9. Doggy Do Good Biodegradable Dog and Cat Poop Bags
Another addition in the range of choices for disposing of dog and cat poop- Doggy Do Good really does you good as it is hassle-free and combines premium pet care with compostability. All Doggy Do Good bags are certified HOME Compostable (EN ) by OK Compost & TÜV AUSTRIA, ASTM D.
These products are also 38% vegetable-based- they are made from cornstarch and are 20 microns thick. Through Doggy Do Good, you can also contribute a part of what you spent to environmental welfare and pet care organizations, as the brand donates 1% of its proceeds to them.
To say that green and compostable garbage bags are a rage today might be an understatement. But, can we really count on them for the quality and the purpose they promise? Are they really better than the single-use black plastic bags that have been there for so long? Are they quite a genuine prospect or are they a passing faux-conscious trend like greenwashing?
These new, biodegradable trash bags, unfortunately, have not been able to pass the test of sustainability with flying colors. Green garbage bags lag a little behind in consumer experience too. At this point, they might look like a farce gift wrapped in green ' but that is not the complete truth about what they are. In addition, there are clear problems with how we use the term 'biodegradable' ourselves. This is because we lack a basic understanding of the differences involved, the other options available, or how to properly interpret the labels.
We are going to delve into all these aspects and tell you everything ' from pros and cons, how biodegradable bags are made, and the best garbage bags that might change the way you throw your trash.
The word 'biodegradable' usually conjures up images of all things that are green, organic, and fresh. Most of us know what biodegradable is' it is everything that is disintegrated by bacterial or microbial action and is totally assimilated into nature when the process ends. It is here that people confuse 'biodegradable' and compostable ' for the whole explanation of why these two are different, keep reading. You'll learn that trash bags marketed as biodegradable are mainly made with bioplastics.
For more Biodegradable Hazardous Waste Bags Supplierinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
This might be something of a shock since we are always told that anything related to plastics and plastic itself goes into the blue bin designated for non-biodegradable waste. But, the truth is that biodegradable plastics DO EXIST (and they go into making biodegradable garbage bags)! It is still plastic though, but it is made from natural by-products like bamboo and sugarcane rather than fossil fuels. Bioplastics are usually designed to disintegrate when they come in contact with specific substances like sunlight or air. If you want to check what exactly will help your bioplastic trash bag disintegrate, look for labels that say 'photodegradable' or 'oxo-degradable'.
Bags made out of biodegradable plastics have some downsides as well. For one, they are pretty expensive to manufacture, and secondly, they might not fully decay as compostable bags do. Bioplastic garbage bags can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a large margin, almost by 25%. If disposed of in the right environment, these bags can actually decompose about 1,000 times faster than your regular plastic trash bag- which apparently never decomposes and releases unwarranted toxins into the soil.
Bioplastics usually follow the European Standard EN . For more information on what exactly classifies this starch-based and wood-based component biodegradable- look up this definition of bioplastics.
Here is where the differentiation kicks in. Not all biodegradable bags are compostable. We know you have your own doubts, given how we are taught that everything that is biodegradable is compostable too.
But, let us reiterate- compostable goods are not the same as biodegradable goods. It is because biodegradable trash bags can also contain harmful chemicals, whilst compostable bags travel the extra mile and do not harm plant growth.
Compostable bags follow the provisions of the ASTM D standard:
Still confused? Here are more points of difference between the two.
Biodegradable bags might have added microbes whereas compostable bags decay with natural microbial action. Biodegradable plastics, unfortunately, still contain little pieces of plastic. Compostable bags, on the contrary, are entirely made of natural materials that break down into non-toxic material and can even enrich your backyard.
So, if there was a tug-of-war between the two, compostable bags would clearly win. You should be a little cautious here- just because a garbage bag is eco-friendly- it doesn't mean that its disposal will be entirely unproblematic. Be mindful that such trash bags decompose well only when they are not disposed of in your regular landfill.
Eco-friendly trash bags decompose only in the presence of:
This is why it is also necessary if we are going towards greener recycling methods for disposing of our trash. Making way for a dedicated and separate waste stream for the disposal of such bags.
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This might be debatable if we take into view how manufacturers have found their own safe haven in greenwashing.
Eco Trash Bags by Green EarthHowever, we recommend that compostable AND biodegradable trash bags are the way to go- they are eco-friendly indeed. You just need to check if they have a:
Actually, the question should be why you shouldn't. As you must be aware, single-use plastic bags that are liberally pumped and dumped in our ecosystem are simply bad for everyone.
First of all, they are non-biodegradable (and hence, ungrateful little monstrosities) that take more than 1,000 years to degrade fully. Secondly, single-use plastic bags (so what if they are vanilla-scented and have floral prints all over them?!) that are floating around in our oceans and clogging drains are simply dangerous to plant and animal life. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, single-use plastics in oceans are ingested by animals and some are even entangled in them.
Thirdly, increasing plastic use is a direct cause of climate change too. If that will not beckon you to seek better alternatives out there, we don't know what will. Climate change isn't just cribbing and throwing coins in the Fountain of Trevi. It is because plastics are a product generated from fossil fuels. Imagine how much carbon have we been releasing in all these years and how much more will we be as we continue to generate and incinerate plastic waste incessantly.
So, where do biodegradable and compostable trash bags figure? Isn't bioplastics a problem too? Let's get something straight ' when we are talking about biodegradable and compostable garbage bags, we are not adhering to either of the two, we are emphasizing on the best of both.
We know that microplastic release into the soil is an issue, but this is exactly why we say that a bag that is both compostable and biodegradable is a good way to transition to a healthier way of disposal. Feel free to dispose of your yard waste, food scraps, and stationary debris like paper and pencil shavings in these bags, and off they go to assimilate and nourish your yard.
Some options can be on the costlier end and you might be looking at the fact that these bags are not as strong or leakproof compared to plastic bags. But believe in good science, innovation, and intent- things are getting better. You can go ahead and line up your bins with these green trash bags and incorporate some maxims of sustainable living into your life!
Now that we have told you pretty much the A-Z of what is the truth, science, and ethics of biodegradable and compostable garbage bags, we believe that you are totally equipped to take a call on how you want to throw your trash. In our opinion, while the current options, especially bioplastics aren't exactly redeeming, they are a part of the larger change we wish to bring into our lives and for the betterment of the planet.
If you are using single-use plastic bags right now, it isn't too late to transition to better options like biodegradable garbage bags, just do your investigation into brands before going for them and you will be peachy to begin yet another journey to achieve a sustainable lifestyle and be a conscious consumer.
Discover plastic-free and sustainable living at Ecowiser! Visit our website today for eco-friendly solutions that make a positive impact on the environment. Start your journey towards a greener future now!
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