Biodegradable packaging

Buy best value Compostable and Biodegradable Bin Bags, including starch-based 100% compostable bags, biodegradable bin bags and eco-friendly bin liners.

Biodegradable packaging is...

• Better for the environment than traditional plastic or polythene packaging
• A term that covers a range of biodegradable products, including carrier bags, mailing bags, clear bags, bin liners, refuse sacks, wrapping, compost bags, food waste bags, dog poo bags, garment covers, loose fill and much more
• Made from natural materials like starch or paper
• Broken down over time by natural microorganisms, like fungi or bacteria, when placed in prolonged contact with soil, such as when placed in landfill
• Converted into carbon dioxide, water and biomass over a period of time, which varies depending on the product in question
• Also known as eco-friendly packaging, eco-packaging or green packaging
• Every bit as useful as traditional polythene packaging - it really gets the job done and at less cost to the environment
• Becoming more popular over time and therefore more competitively priced, in comparison to traditional polythene packaging

Why we use eco-friendly bags

Biodegradable bags are a convenient alternative to traditional polythene bags and cause less pollution or damage to the environment. Traditional polythene will degrade - i.e. break down into smaller and smaller molecules - over time but this process takes a lot longer than the time it takes for biodegradable materials to break down when they come into contact with microorganisms.

Therefore, biodegradable packaging takes less time to break down from the full product to nothing, which means they take up less valuable space in landfill sites, thereby creating less of a long term impact on the environment.

The argument for using eco-friendly bags is represented for many by the common 'single use' plastic carrier bag or traditional thin carrier, often handed out in shops and supermarkets across the UK.

Whilst the term 'single use' is, in itself, a misnomer and one that potentially contributes to the problem of plastic bag waste - there is, after all, no reason why a 'single use' carrier bag can't be used more than once, thus lessening its impact on the environment - the extremely high use of thin carrier bags in everyday life sums up the argument that many people make against the use of polythene packaging.

There is no denying that plastic bags create a lot of waste and, even though this represents less than 1% of household waste in the UK*, most of this waste ends up in landfill sites.

* Source: WRAP - Waste & Resources Action Programme

Whilst most carriers bags today are made from recycled polythene, the material (polymers) that these bags are made from, such as polythene and polypropene, are unable to be broken down by microorganisms and therefore take longer to break down in landfill sites than biodegradable alternatives.

So if you use a biodegradable carrier bag to do your shopping, you can console yourself with the fact that you are doing your bit for the environment and, when that bag eventually gets disposed of, it will take longer to become one with the earth than a traditional polythene alternative.

But, perhaps just as importantly, whatever bag you use - make sure you don't throw it away after using it when it's still perfectly capable of being used again.

Remember people - there is no such thing as a 'single use' carrier bag!

Degradable and biodegradable - what's the difference?

"What's the difference between a biodegradable product and a degradable product?" we hear you ask. Both degradable and biodegradable materials are both used to make packaging today, so why is biodegradable packaging supposed to be so much better to use than normal degradable packaging?

Well, let's first take a look at the definition of each word:

degradable (adjective) - Capable of being degraded. spec. Susceptible to chemical or biological degradation.

biodegradable (adjective) - Of a substance or object (esp. refuse or a potential pollutant): able to be broken down and decomposed by the action of living organisms (esp. bacteria), or their metabolic or biochemical processes

So both a degradable packaging and biodegradable packaging, when disposed of, will break down over time into smaller and smaller pieces. Sounds like there's not much a difference between the two then? Well, that's where you're wrong.

The key difference between biodegradable and degradable materials is that natural organisms and bacteria will break down a biodegradable product much faster than oxygen, moisture, heat and/or light will break down a degradable product.

So if you throw away two plastic bags - one biodegradable, the other degradable - at the same time and in similar conditions, then the biodegradable bag will break down into biomass, water and carbon dioxide significantly faster than the degradable bag.

For the biodegradable product, the biodegradation process might take just a few weeks or months, while a degradable bag will take many years to degrade fully.

Faster degradation leads to less time in landfill sites, which saves space, energy and cost, hence why biodegradable bags are the eco-friendly alternative to degradable packaging.

Where to buy biodegradable packaging

Biodegradable packaging manufacturers and suppliers include:

Biodegradable Packaging Ireland
VAT-registered customers in Ireland can save 21% VAT on all of purchases made from Biodegradable.ie - providers and stockists of a huge range of biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging.
www.biodegradable.ie

Environmental Bags
Environmental Bags stock a huge range of eco-friendly packaging and biodegradable products, from eco-friendly mailing bags to biodegradable bin bags and specialist eco packaging. Order online today.
www.environmentalbags.com

Environmental Bag
Stockists of compostable, degradable and biodegradable bags, with useful information on each type to help you choose the right type of bag for you. Also manufacture and stock a wide range of other eco-friendly packaging.
www.environmentalbags.co.uk

Environmentally Friendly Bags
Environmentally Friendly Bags is the place to go for all your biodegradable packaging needs. Tells you all you need to know about a range of biodegradable polymers used to make eco-friendly packaging and how they are made.
www.environmentally-friendly-bags.co.uk

Biodegradable Bags
With loads of information on biodegradable, degradable and compostable bags and other packaging, this website is a must for anyone looking to buy the right type of eco-friendly packaging for their particular needs.
www.biodegradablebags2u.com

Recycled Bags
A very useful website for anyone hoping to find out more about recycled bags, the recycling process and eco-friendly alternatives to plastic packaging, including biodegradable and degradable packaging.
www.recycledbags2u.co.uk

Compostable Bags
Compo Bag is a free website providing loads of information on compostable bags, including how they are made, types and features of compo bags, pros and cons of compo bags and where to buy them.
www.compobag.co.uk

Degradable Bags
A fantastic resource for anyone looking to find out more about degradable bags and other packaging. Featuring tonnes of information and news on degradable bags, along with a buying guide to degradable bags, so you can pick them up at the best discount prices.
www.discountdegradablebags.co.uk

Biodegradable Bag
A very useful website for anyone interested in biodegradable, degradable or compostable packaging. Helps you choose the right type of packaging for you and tells you where to buy any type of biodegradable bag or each eco-friendly product.
www.discountbiodegradablebags.co.uk

Biodegradable Plastic Bags
If you are looking to buy biodegradable bags or eco-friendly packaging then this is the website for you. Detailing the difference between compostable, degradable and biodegradable packaging, while telling you the best place to buy all three.
www.biodegradablebags2u.co.uk

Biodegradable Bags UK
Need information on compostable, degradable or biodegradable bags in the UK? Want to know more about the difference between each type and where to buy them at the best discount prices? Discount Biodegradable Bags is the site for you!
www.discountbiodegradablebags.com

Recycled Plastic Bags
Recycled Bags is a treasure trove of information on recycled plastic bags and other recycled packaging, the recycling process and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastic packaging. No other website tells you more about recycled bags.
www.recycled-bags.co.uk

Why everybody is talking about biodegradable bin liners

Biodegradable bin bags only make sense when the all waste stream is sorted properly, because a bag that smashs down also slowly or also fast can create more trouble than it solves. In a bedroom or bathroom bin, the bag has to grasp damp tissue, wrappers and light packaging without splitting at the seam or turning soft before the contents are collected. That means the film requirements the proper gauge, decent seal quality and enough puncture resistance for normal handling, even if the stop goal is composting or industrial treatment. If the bag fails in use, waste goes loose into the liner, the cleaner pays for it, and the environmental benefit is lost.

Biodegradable bin liners work optimal when the material matches the waste stream and the holding time, not only the recycling policy. A liner for damp food waste requirements alternative stretch, puncture resistance and seal quality from one used for dry light waste, because moisture and weight change how the bag behaves in the bin. If the gauge is also low, seams split and the liner collapses when lifted, which means leaks, more cleaning and less tidy segregation at origin. A sensible specification retains the bin area manageable and stops an eco-friendly selection from becoming a handling nuisance.

A compostable bin liner requirements to do two jobs at once: grasp waste without splitting and still smash down properly when it reaches the proper composting process. That balance relies on the film gauge, the seal quality, and how much moisture or sharp food waste it has to transport before assortment. A 30-litre roll format suits smaller kitchen or caddy bins because the bags are easy to store, tear off, and feed into routine waste handling without taking much space in the cupboard. If the liner is also flimsy, leakage becomes the problem; if it is above-specified, it may not suit the intended composting route.

Biodegradable Bin Bags

Biodegradable bin bags can cut the amount of stubborn plastic left behind after waste assortment, which matters when bins are full of food waste, paper towels, and other mixed waste. A bag that smashs down more readily can reduce the chance of long-lasting material ending up in the gross part of the waste stream, particularly where assortments are sorted for composting or biological processing. The practical point is that the bag still requirements enough strength for handling and sealing, because a weak sack that splits in the kitchen or yard creates more mess than it solves. A sensible specification balances breakdown performance with daily toughness.

Biodegradable bin liners work optimal when the waste stream and storage conditions are both understood before the first roll is opened. A liner manufactured for food waste or short-term assortment can be a poor fit for a damp yard, an open bin store, or a long grasp before uplift, because moisture, heat, and time all affect how the film behaves. Strip the gross method through a busy shift and the result is split sacks, spillages, and more cleaning than planned. The sensible selection is the one that matches the job and the holding time, not the label.

Availability Advice on Compostable Bin Liner 7L

A compostable bin liner must be judged on how it behaves in proper waste handling, not only on the wording on the roll. A liner manufactured from plant-based starch and lactide blends can suit food waste assortment when the gauge, seal quality and tear resistance are matched to the load. If the film is also thin, sharp scraps and damp caddy waste soon cause splits; if it is also heavy, the bag may not smash down as intended in composting. The useful point is that the material has to grasp together in use, then smash down cleanly once it enters the proper composting system.

Biodegradable bin bags make sense when waste streams need a sensible balance between strength, cost and disposal rules. A bag that smashs down also early in storage is no use at all, so the proper question is how the film behaves in the depot, on the trolley and at the point of disposal. Gauge, seal quality and roll consistency all affect whether the bag grasps wet waste, sharp offcuts or mixed office waste without splitting. A superb specification should suit the waste load rather than the label on the roll, because weak bags cause spillages, additional labour and avoidable complaints.

Biodegradable bin liners have to be chosen for the job, not only for the label on the carton. A cost-effective liner may see acceptable at products-in, then split when food waste, condensation, or sharp packaging offcuts beginning loading the sack in a bin store. Gauge, seal quality, and the method the film stretches below weight all affect whether the liner survives normal handling. Stock that arrives with weak bottoms, inconsistent thickness, or poor carton counts creates avoidable waste at the point of use. A liner that grasps together through assortment and handling saves more trouble than one that only sounds green on paper.

COMPOSTABLE BIN LINERS

A compostable bin liner only works properly when the bag gauge, seal strength, and occupy method all suit the waste stream it is meant to grasp. In a 35 or 40 litre bucket, a liner that is also thin can split amid lifting, while one that is also stiff may not mould to the pail and wastes film. The optimal packs are judged on how cleanly the rolls dispense, how neatly each bag opens, and whether the base seal grasps below damp food waste. That balance between handling and strength retains spillages down and makes the liner a practical part of the bin system.

Biodegradable bin bags need to be matched carefully to the bin size and the waste stream, or they can create more trouble than they solve. A 5-litre to 6-litre compostable kitchen caddy liner is normally intended for light food waste, so the film has to balance strength with the ability to smash down later. If the gauge is also thin, the liner can stretch, split, or leak at the base when wet scraps pile up. If it is also heavy, disposal performance can suffer and the material selection may no longer suit the intended composting route. A well-chosen liner retains the caddy cleaner and reduces mess amid emptying.

Research & Resources

For more on biodegradable bags, the huge range of eco-friendly packaging available, along with details of how it is made and how it works, please visit:

PlasticBags.uk.com: The UK's number one polythene packaging directory. Advertisers can list items for free and shoppers can browse a selection of biodegradable bags websites.

Goldstork: Free 'pick-of-the web' directory featuring specialist websites and lots of information on biodegradable bags.

PackagingKnowledge: The go-to knowledge website of the polythene packaging industry, featuring loads of useful information about biodegradable bags.

Eco-friendly packaging

Biodegradable packaging - i.e. packaging made from biodegradable polymers - is sometimes known as 'eco-friendly packaging' or 'eco-packaging'.

If you take the traditional polymers (molecules) used to make traditional polythene and add particular chemicals to these polymers, you can create biodegradable polymers that can be broken down by microorganisms.

These polymers can then be used make biodegradable polythene, which can in turn be used to make biodegradable packaging, or eco-packaging.

Eco-friendly packaging is created using a range of biodegradable polymers, including starch- or bacteria-based polymers or blends, water-soluble polymers, oxo-biodegradable polymers or photodegradable polymers.

Eco-friendly packaging has been a popular alternative to traditional polythene packaging for a number of years and can be found, amongst others, in the form of carrier bags, bin liners, refuse bags, compost bags, dog poop bags and other waste bags.