Biodegradable Plastic Bags - Eco Friendly or Not?
With all the problems plastic bags are causing to the natural environment, it’s little wonder there’s an abundance of alternatives hitting the market. Although biodegradable plastic bags have been around for a while now, many people still don’t know they exist.
Let’s look at the two main types of biodegradable plastic bags.
Biodegradable Plastic Bags
Typically, biodegradable plastic bags are made from farmed products like cornstarch, which break down into elements like carbon dioxide, water and methane. They don’t just decompose automatically though - they need the right conditions to decompose.
To decompose properly, a biodegradable plastic bag should be composted. It should not be sent to landfill, as it may contribute to methane emissions. To meet international standards, a biodegradable plastic bag should compost within 12 weeks, then fully biodegrade within 6 months.
Degradable Plastic Bags
Degradable plastic bags decompose due to a chemical additive to oxygen, light or heat and are best suited to landfill. Degradable bags are also referred to as “oxo degradable” bags.
Degradable plastic bags will usually break down automatically. This could range between anywhere from 3 months to 18 months after manufacture, or even longer.
So… Are They Eco Friendly?
On the face of it, biodegradable and degradable plastic bags seem like a good concept. They can be used just like any other plastic bag, then when the time is right, they decompose - possibly within 6 months (or 18 months for oxo degradable bags).
While it’s not hard to argue that these bags are much better than traditional plastic bags (which can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose), many environmental organizations argue that biodegradable plastic bags still don’t go far enough in saving the planet, and I tend to agree.
Even if a plastic bag does biodegrade within 5 - 6 months, that’s still plenty of time for it to cause serious issues. A biodegradable plastic bag can still end up in the ocean where it can kill it’s wildlife. When a plastic bag begins to suffocate a baby dolphin, that dolphin will die within minutes. The fact that the bag will decompose within 6 months means nothing - it’s already too late.
Also, given the fact that up to 1 trillion plastic bags are being used on our planet every year, this is still a problem. Even if only say, 1% of plastic bags end up in our oceans, that still a lot of plastic bags. Every one of these can kill regardless of their biodegradable properties.
So, while these bags are better than traditional plastic bags, there are much more eco friendly bags around.
Tags: biodegradable plastic bags, biodegrade, decompose, degradable plastic bags, eco friendly grocery bags, plastic bags, reusable grocery bags, shopping bags
January 16th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
There are bags that don’t biodegrade - but are made from corn starch so are compostable. There’s even a machine being developed to home compost them in a matter of minutes. Compostable packaging is a big thing here with companies in the UK making all sorts of product like cutlery and tumblers - all 100% compostable
September 15th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
BioBags are a great way to reduce the amount of plastic in ladfills. I just bought some BioBags from http://www.YouShouldGoGreen.com and they work great. The price was right and they arrived very fast. Highly recommended site…
November 11th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
PLA, or plastic made of starch creates methane when it decays, reduces the food stocks in a world in which millions are hungry, and it is weak, expensive, and easily penetrated by water. Oxo-biodegradable plastic is a much better alternative for any bags not destined for a compost facility-see http://biogreenproducts.biz/whyoxo.html .
February 5th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
After visiting France several years ago, I realized how easy it is to purchase reusable grocery bags and get in the habit of using them. I use these shopping bags for all shopping. Afterward I realized that my weekly trash was far less. I now carry a clean cup when I leave home, just in case I need a latte or an iced tea. Bio-degradable trash bags are just now making their way to Hawaii, so we’re now dedicated to using them for our “landfill” trash. Simplifying our lives is not a task, but a good thing!
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hi,
We ran across your website and i read it more interesting, thank you for the ideas you shared i learn a lot from it. We’ll come back often.
Once again, thank you very much!
Regards,
Oceans Green
June 7th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I need bags for putting out the garbage, what kind should I get?
July 13th, 2009 at 10:20 am
For those of you not yet compositing but looking for an alternative to regular plastic garbage bags, I have a recommendation. The company I represent, Jig-A-Loo, has recently introduced a new line of plastic bags called EconoGreen that are made from:
100% recycled plastic
100% oxodegradable
100% recyclable.
These EconoGreen bags and drop cloths contain an additive that will completely break down within 2 years after use. Considerably less than traditional plastic bags and especially grocery bags that we often use as garbage bags.
For more information, visit our Jig-A-Loo website!
November 24th, 2009 at 10:56 am
i like ashley work for a company polyethics in orillia ont . ,we manufacture biodegradable bags for jigaloo inc.,we make very many garbage bags for them all 100% recyced plastic that in itself is great ! much better are the total benefits that come with this product .i belive we can all make a change in the way people view our habits on recycling ,i hope we can make a differince for the people of tomorrow . thanks stewart
December 25th, 2009 at 3:16 am
Great points, degradable plastic is NOT eco-friendly, and only biodegradable plastic bags that contain no plastic are truly eco-friendly. They’re costly to the consumer but they’re environmentally friendly.
May 11th, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Hi everyone,we are the supplier of biodegradable disposable products,main products follow:
Cutlery (Fork,Knive,Spoon)
Color and clear straw
Coffee Stir Spoon
Tray,Plate,
Lunch Box
Bowl
Cup,
30ml/50ml Bottle
Razor
Comb
Toothbrush
Shower cup
http://www.ecofoodpack.com
info@ecofoodpack.com
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:08 pm
Biodegradable plastic and packaging is a modern necessity for our ever-endangered environment.
Now PLA has been used to line the indoors of Paper Cups in place of the oil based lining additional usually used, create Plastic Cups, Plates, Carrier Bags, Food Packaging and even Nappies.
Eco Pure is our proprietary blend of organic materials that does not modify the base resin to which it is added.
Thanks a lot for your information