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WHAT are our alternatives to plastic?
HOW can we start to reduce our share of plastic use and waste?
The last post was about reducing plastic waste by replacing single-use baggies and wraps with reusable food storage solutions, including silicone, glass, or steel containers (among others). Today we will be
discussing TRASH BAGS.
BIODEGRADATION
Conventional plastic trash bags do not biodegrade because bacteria that help decompose organic materials do not recognize plastic as a food source. Therefore, plastics generally break down because of ultraviolet light from the sun and not because of microbes in the soil. Plastic trash bags can take anywhere from 10 to 1000 years to degrade in the sun, but even then, they leave polluting toxic microplastics. In addition to that, sanitary landfills nowadays cover trash with layers of soil to reduce odor, but that means that some trash never decomposes because it is not exposed to the necessary conditions (air, water and sunlight).
Today, we will examine the strengths and weakness of our alternatives for regular plastic trash bags. Our choices include recycled plastic bags, “green” or plant-based bags, reusable bags, paper bags, and a “bagless” option.
Recycled plastic trash bags made from post-consumer resin (PCR) have the one advantage of reducing the need for virgin plastic to make trash bags. The downsides are that they still take a long time to break down and leave behind toxic residues and microplastics in the environment, including in landfills. Trash bags made from recycled plastic come in various percentages of PCR and are often mixed with plant-based materials. The highest percentages are in the 80-90% range. Here are two companies that sell some of the highest PCR content for trash bags:
COMPOSTING
Bioplastic or “green” bags are derived from plant-based elements, such as sugar cane, potato starch, or corn starch. They break down much more quickly than conventional plastic (from 6 to 24 months) and produce fewer greenhouses during the manufacturing process. However, they can still leave behind toxic microplastics and release methane gas if left to biodegrade in landfills. Thus, they are usually better suited for composting facilities, whether that is an industrial, municipal, or home
composting site. If you want to get a fuller comparison of the environmental impact of regular plastic trash bags versus bioplastics, read more here: https://phys.org/news/2017-12-truth-bioplastics.html.
There are several varieties of compostable trash bags and several places to purchase them. When you shop around, pay close attention to their descriptions. You want products that are certified by the Biodegradable
Products Institute (https://bpiworld.org) and want to make sure you choose the correct type (industrial/municipal vs. home composting) for your situation.
- If you have a municipal composting program near you, follow this link* and search “biobag” for various sizes of compostable bags, including bags for pet waste.
- If you have either a local or home composting option, try this product*.
- If you are interested in your own home compost, visit this website and learn how to get started.
Some people line their garbage cans with paper bags or origami newspaper, which can be better because it keeps plastic out of landfills.
However, it can still cause some problems in terms of available resources,
recycling shortages, and unnecessary waste sitting in landfills. I think it is more eco-friendly to recycle clean paper and newspaper than to use it for bin liners. There is one paper product, however, that is useful for pet waste. Shop here for unique, plastic-free dog poop bags made from recycled cardboard.
OTHER OPTIONS
Another option for trash collection is a washable, reusable bin liner. This kind of product allows you to collect trash around the home as usual and then dump it into the large waste collection bin for pickup. It eliminates the need to purchase or use plastic trash bags, but it can be a lot more stinky and messier for your large collection bin. Bin liners should be machine washed in cold water and hung to dry. Empty collection bins also need to be rinsed out and can be sprinkled with baking soda to reduce the stench. Find reusable liners in different sizes here by searching “bagito can liner.”
Our last option for waste collection is to go “bagless.” This choice is more work intensive because it involves sorting your trash carefully and is best used if you have a home compost pile. Of course, any recyclables can be separated out first, and dry trash can be placed into the bin without a liner. You can dump wet trash, like food scraps, directly from your collection pail into the compost pile. Whether you compost at home or send compostable trash to a local facility, you might like to purchase small compost bags to hold the wet trash, as this can decrease the yucky factor. You can find 2-gallon bags here.
As you begin your journey to going plastic-free, you may still find yourself collecting plastic packaging that cannot be recycled (for example, used bread bags, frozen vegetable and fruit bags, milk and juice cartons, pet food bags, etc.) Instead of throwing these away empty, you can reuse them for non-compostable trash, such as meat and dairy scraps and pet waste too.
We will see you next time for ONE MORE POST on our discussion about plastic use!
Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! “Bill Dickey is learning me his experience.” by Lawrence Peter Berra.