Are you trying to reduce the amount of trash you produce...but still see mountains of it piling up at home every week?
Hate the thought of wrapping your trash in a plastic bag that will add to the global plastic waste problem and take hundreds of years to degrade?
Don't worry - I have the answer!
Degradable, biodegradable, compostable, recycled, reusable, and more...there are an overwhelming amount of sustainable trash bag alternatives on the market.
I’ve carefully picked my way through the best eco-friendly trash bags minefield for you, and can confirm that it IS possible to bag your trash sustainably...but it’s not quite as straightforward as you might think.
Most trash bags are not very eco-friendly. But there are some that are kinder to the planet, without compromising on strength...
Plastno Compostable Trash Bags are versatile and eco-conscious...perfect for kitchen and household use.
Crafted from renewable, plant-based materials, these bags are non-toxic and fully compostable, promoting sustainability without compromising on quality and durability.
I'm impressed with these bags' strength (even when packed to their 13-gallon capacity). With their multilayer strength, they're capable of handling heavy household waste. The easy-tie closure ensures convenient use and transportation, while the star-sealed bottom prevents leaks, rips, and tears.
These eco-friendly marvels are made from three plant-based materials:
Whether you're using these bags for trash designed for the compost heap in your yard or regular trash heading off to commercial facilities, you can rest assured that the compostability of these bags has been certified by two leading green certifications:
As with all genuinely compostable trash bags, there are a few things you should bear in mind to get the most out of your Plastno Compostable Trash Bags:
Free shipping is available on all US orders over $40, and you can save 15% by using our exclusive code (THEROUNDUPORG).
There's also a neat subscription option (Plastno Membership) if you want to save even more...and never run out of trash bags again.
I don't want to be the guy who gets excited about eco-friendly trash bags...but Plastno has nailed it...and I AM excited!
They're strong, reliable, and certified compostable. Win-Win-Win!
Biodegradable bags work similarly to degradable bags, but with one significant difference.
Natural microorganisms are used to break down the bag rather than relying on chemicals and heavy metals.
Biodegradable bags are a more eco-friendly alternative to degradable trash bags.
However, even the best biodegradable trash bags eventually break down into tiny pieces of polluting plastic, so they’re not an ideal choice for all applications.
To be appropriately certified, both degradable and biodegradable trash bags should be capable of full degradation within one year.
Compostable trash bags are made from natural plant starch. They do not release toxins when breaking down.
An eco-friendly compostable trash bag will decompose fully in the right composting conditions.
Always check the label, though, as some compostable trash bags will decompose in your home compost, whereas others will need to go to commercial composting facilities.
Compostable bags are great for food and garden waste, but cheaper options are not always best for general trash because they can start to break down if left in the trash can for too long.
In addition to the overall winner, I also loved the following during testing.
They Say: Plant Based Hippo Sak Tall Kitchen Trash Bags are proudly made from sugar cane instead of fossil fuels, allowing our bags to be renewable, recyclable and reduce your carbon footprint - and are Super Strong as ever! For every 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of plant raw material used to create Hippo Sak Plant-Based Tall Kitchen Bags, they reduce CO2 emissions by 2.15 kg and reduce the consumption of fossil fuel by 2 liters!
We Say: Sooooooooo! I have a feeling this might be a controversial choice.
These bags are not classed as compostable or biodegradable.
My remit for this article was to test and review the best Earth-friendly trash bags of . Any products I recommend need to perform their core function well, at a reasonable price, while also treading as lightly as possible on the planet.
That’s why I’ve chosen Hippo Sak Plant Based Tall Kitchen Bags. They’re an excellent all-rounder.
They’re as heavy-duty as any plastic garbage bag I’ve ever used but contain a minimum of 80% plant-based materials (sugar cane).
This massively reduces the amount of oil needed to make these bags. Which in turn reduces their carbon footprint.
Yes…it’s not ideal that it contains 20% plastic.
Yes...it’s not ideal that these are not biodegradable or compostable trash bags.
However, when you consider the bag dimension (13 gallons) and durability, I believe that they’re a worthy winner.
They’re thick enough to be reused without breaking. Once full, carefully take outside and empty into a large metal trash can ready for collection.
There are more environmentally friendly options, but they’re usually smaller, flimsier, or are for a different purpose (food waste, composting, etc.). I’ll discuss this in more detail later.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Because We Care.
Either reusable or compostable trash bags are best for the environment.
Compostable bags are designed to disintegrate in a compost pile along with organic waste. These bags are typically made from biodegradable materials like paper, vegetable starches, or bioplastics.
Reusable cloth bags are an excellent choice for reducing waste and minimizing your environmental impact. These planet-friendly trash containers are durable and can be washed and reused many times, eliminating the need for single-use plastic bags altogether.
However, the reality is that most people still do not like the idea of reusable bags and prefer to buy disposable products.
I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but the planet doesn’t really gain anything when you use compostable bags for trash heading to landfill.
According to the Columbia Climate School, “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”.
That's why sending compostable trash to the correct facility is important.
A compostable bag is not the answer to every problem. But you should at least stick to using earth compostable garbage bags for your compostable waste.
10-45 days, according to the Biobag FAQ section.
Using trash bags to pick up dog poop is wasteful as they tend to be oversized for the task at hand. Instead, consider choosing one of the environmentally friendly alternatives mentioned in my article on dog poop bags.
So, there you have it. I hope I’ve helped shed some light on what makes the best green bin bags.
I thought long and hard about whether or not I should be recommending some products containing plastics, and I do feel that compostable trash bags are the best option from an environmental perspective.
However, when these are not available, recycled plastic bags are an option. And while you are unlikely to find 100% recycled trash bags (one day I hope this will be possible), at the moment those with a high percentage are certainly better than those made entirely from virgin plastics.
Garbage bags need to be strong and durable and contain all types of waste, and I feel I’ve covered all bases with my recommendations.
What steps are you currently taking to make your trash bag usage as green as possible? Have I missed your favorite brand/option off the list? Drop me a line and let me know.
Yes they do. Because compostable products are designed to break down, the materials and processes used to create are not as permanent as plastic bags. The degradation process doesn’t truly start until they conditions for composting a just right like they are at an industrial composting facility. However, even on their own, compostable bags will begin to weaken after about 1 year. After a year of sitting on a shelf, the seams of the bag will begin to lose some of the strength that a new bag has. To gain extra time with your bags, store them in a cool dry place and out of direct sunlight.
Since society started the migration from rural to urban centers, we have struggled to control food waste. In the 20th Century, we moved to a highly automated “tip and dump” system that included food and organics with trash destined for landfills. In some progressive cities and countries, recycling was added, but there is still a lot of work to be done to achieve Zero Waste in a growing society of over consumption.
Additionally, industrial agriculture practices have depleted healthy soil after years of pesticide use and tilling practices. With hotter temperatures on the rise, droughts and flooding is also on the rise. This is causing major negative impacts on farmland by increasing soil erosion, washing away the areas we need to grow food, and creating less resilient communities.
The good news is that by composting, we can keep nature in balance by replenishing the soil with nutrient-rich organic matter that maintains the natural biocycle. The healthier the soil, the more carbon is placed back into the soil. We must accelerate the collection of food scraps to produce compost that can be returned to local farmers in order to support regenerative agriculture. This video from Kiss the Ground explains the benefits of food scraps that are diverted from landfills.
Unlike traditional plastic bags and other single-use plastic items that last for decades in landfills, EcoSafe®’s compostable products are strong like traditional plastic – yet – when disposed of in a commercial compost facility, the material will decompose within 10 – 45 days depending on the type of composting technology being used.
Composting facilities can take 2-6 months to fully compost organic matter. Commercial compost facilities send our collected bags/products along with other food scraps and organic matter through a grinder that partially disintegrates material to speed up the composting process. A feedstock mixture of carbon materials (brown items such as lawn waste) and nitrogen materials (green items such as food scraps and our bags) are full of microorganisms that give off enzymes to break down all of the material. Commercial compost facilities apply high heat in an intense composting phase that generally lasts 3-6 weeks to sanitize and break down most of the organic material. This composting stage is where most facilities vary in their process.
Finally, all compost must undergo a curing process that reduces heat and finalizes material breakdown, lasting 2-4 months depending on the composting process. At the end of the composting process, our compostable bags/products have broken down into nothing but water, a small amount of CO2 (this is produced by all food or products in the composting process), and humus (a nutrient-rich organic material).
Terms like “biodegradable”, “oxo-degradable”, and “photo-degradable” sound like they are the same as “compostable.” However, these products will not compost at a commercial compost facility as they contain components of plastic and will need to be removed manually by the facility to avoid contaminating an entire batch of compost.
The term “biodegradable” or similar terms are often used as a marketing tactic in film plastics to make consumers think they are environmentally friendly. The truth is most of these products are just polyethylene products that have additives which cause them to fragment into smaller pieces of plastic which remain in the environment for years to come.
There is no standard specification against which to measure the term “biodegradable”, thus it really doesn’t mean much of anything. “Certified Compostable”, on the other hand, is measured to ASTM D, the standard specification test for compostability, which allows manufacturers to print the BPI logo on their products and packaging.
Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is wreaking havoc on our natural ecosystems, so it is critical to reduce waste and human impacts where we can. Food scraps is an amazing resource that should not be mistaken as trash destined for landfills. Collecting food scraps for compost is essential to solving the climate crisis, and it doesn’t have to be complicated!
When food is sent to landfill, it degrades anaerobically (without oxygen) which emits methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28x more harmful than CO2. The single most important thing we as an urban society can do is compost our organic waste and return it to the soil as a nutrient rich organic supplement that replaces chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Compost is the foundation of the natural biosphere that has evolved for more than a billion years. Everything that lives, flora or fauna, must die. Through nature’s carbon cycle, it gets returned to the soil to support the intricate balance of life on our planet.
The main purpose of compostable products to assist in the collection and diversion of food scraps to composting. Composting facilities can use pipes, probes, and other technologies to better monitor and regulate air flow, temperature, and moisture levels in composting piles. This allows commercial composters to efficiently process large volumes of municipal food waste. At the same time, it helps to ensure that compostable packaging is given enough time to break down in these advanced systems.
Home composting will not be able to produce the same results in the same timeframe without the controls, mechanical processes, and operating systems as commercial compost facilities. Temperatures in home compost piles typically don’t reach the levels of those in commercial or municipal facilities, and many of these products require higher temperatures to break down adequately.
EcoSafe® compostable bags and liners are used to line kitchen compost bins and collection carts. This is an easy way to keep them clean, control odours, and reduce insects such as maggots, fruit flies, and wasps. Our compostable bags have proven to increase participation from residents and employees in our food scrap collection programs too! It’s a win-win for waste generators, haulers, and composters because together we ensure plastic bags stay out of the food scraps collections while keeping food out of landfills.
We do this without any compromise because our compostable bags are super strong, moisture-resistant, and have excellent heat-sealing properties too. They are a great solution to reduce climate change impacts and are an innovative option for food service applications who aim to achieve Zero Waste.
Like our compostable products, our food scrap collection programs positively impact the climate crisis because they are designed to decrease plastic consumption, divert food from landfills, and repurpose food scraps for compost. Food in landfills emits methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. By implementing our programs, you can increase the amount of compost available to your community. Our programs easily educate waste generators to separate food scraps from trash and recyclables, helping composters get the feedstock required to create more compost.
Additionally, many cities are accelerating bans that prohibit the disposal of food scraps to landfills. As the world moves to address the challenges associated with the climate crisis striving to become carbon-neutral, implementing food scrap collection programs and moving away from traditional plastic products can help build a healthy soil foundation and create a cleaner environment for all.
If you don’t have a community collection but you do have a backyard, you should start composting as it will provide healthy microbes for your garden! If you live in a high-rise building, work in an office, attend a school, or work in a restaurant or factory, chances are there is food that requires a composting system. EcoSafe® provides food scrap collection programs for any community, institution, or business that wants to institute a green waste program. With over 20 years experience, EcoSafe®’s team has helped residential, institutional, and commercial businesses of all sizes achieve Zero Waste (as defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance’s definition of getting waste to be regarded as a resource base). From BC Ferries to the LA Memorial Coliseum, to being the official compostable bag supplier of the Olympics, there is no project too big or small for EcoSafe® to handle! We have the right products, experience, and communication tools to help you start a successful food scraps collection program. At EcoSafe®, we don’t just think about the people collecting food scraps, but we also consider the haulers, composters, and other stakeholders required to transport and process the food scraps. We ensure that your organization is set up with the right connections so that we can close the loop on food being wasted, and instead, recovered as a natural resource for compost. Contact us today to get started! How do your food scrap collection programs positively impact the climate crisis? Like our compostable products, our food scrap collection programs positively impact the climate crisis because they are designed to decrease plastic consumption, divert food from landfills, and repurpose food scraps for compost. Food in landfills emits methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. By implementing our programs, you can increase the amount of compost available to your community. Our programs easily educate waste generators to separate food scraps from trash and recyclables, helping composters get the feedstock required to create more compost. Additionally, many cities are accelerating bans that prohibit the disposal of food scraps to landfills. As the world moves to address the challenges associated with the climate crisis stiving to become carbon-neutral, implementing food scrap collection programs and moving away from traditional plastic products can help build a healthy soil foundation and create a cleaner environment for all.
Depending on your customers circumstances, they may receive collection from their municipality as part of a public service (such as some multi-unit residential, single family residential, or various municipal institutions). Alternatively, they may need to contract a third-party waste hauler to pick up on their behalf (private business, multi-unit commercial dwellings, multi-unit residential dwellings not covered by municipal contracts).
Haulers in the local area are responsible for picking up food scraps and taking them to a commercial compost facility. Haulers are responsible for setting up the 64-gallon organics collection carts and pick up the food scraps/organic waste weekly. In some cases, buildings may have a hauling services company that picks up trash, recyclables, and food scraps/organics all together. In other cases, you’ll have to contact a private hauling company to pick up the food scraps.
Our bags are a blown film product – pellets of compostable resin are melted down inside a large machine called an extruder. This liquid is then blown through a die head which creates a bubble to a specific diameter based on the desired bag size. From there, the bubble travels up at a height which allows it to cool, so that when it is gusseted, folded, and wound onto itself, it is already in solid form and thus will not stick to itself. Lastly, it is either transferred to rolls for conversion into bags at a later date or is fed directly via a series of tensioned winders through machines that seal and perforate the bags, dictating the length of each bag.
The company is the world’s best Compostable PBAT bin liners supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.