Here’s a primer on some more eco-friendly alternatives to plastic trash bags.
Biodegradable vs. compostable bags.
The typical trash bag is made of strong, stretchy polyethylenethe world’smost widely used jot down of plastic1.
“Compostable” and “biodegradable” bags are often marketed as eco-friendly alternatives.
While those two terms may sound interchangeable, they’re not exactly the same.
While this term can also be misused, it’s more strictly regulated.
Compostable bags are usually made from plants like corn or potatoes instead of petroleum.
“Those test results are then evaluated by a third-party technical reviewer.”
Nearly 12,000 products are now third-party certified by the BPI and carry its signature leaf-and-tree seal.
So compostable trash bags are good for the environment?
So check in with your local composter before sending them bags they can’t use.
(Though it still took fewer fossil fuels to create in the first place, an environmental plus.)
Can you compost them at home?
They come in multiple sizes, with their 2.6-gallon size being ideal for countertop compost bins.
Most industrial composting facilities don’t accept pet waste, though, so these are usually destined for landfill.
The BPI-certified bags are corn-based and sturdy.
They also come in a drawstring option for easier handling.
If You CareCompostable Trash Bags($6.31 for 30 bags)
Compostable trash bag alternatives.
While compostable trash bags are a better waste management solution than plastic, they’re not perfect.
For landfill-bound trash, bags made from recycled plastics are also an option that’s a cut above conventional.
The bottom line.
Get startedreducing your household wastewith these approachable tips.
