Trash bags occupy a big position in the discussions related to the protection of the environment. They are criticized and often blamed for different pollution hazards.
They are one of the most used household products. You probably take your trash out at least once or twice a week. So what do you do when you are dealing with such an item?
Biodegradable Trash Bags Products
Alternatives are the answer. Best biodegradable trash bags are an example. They are created to somehow take care of the environment and not produce great harms.
When you are looking (in stores or online) for alternatives, you may come across certain terms such as biodegradable or compostable. In order to make the right decision, you need to understand what each of them means.
The difference between biodegradable and compostable
By just looking at these two words, you may say these are some eco-friendly terms.
You are right, but there is more than meets the eye.
Biodegradable refers to the materials’ capacity to break down and retun to nature. This degradation process takes place due to microorganisms which help decompose the material. These materials may release metals in the environment during this process.
Compostable is almost the same thing with one exception. Compostable materials break down into humus, a valuable substance loaded in nutrients for the soil. They do not release any metals or toxins into the environment.
For instance, you may see different plastic materials are labelled biodegradable. They disintegrate faster than conventional plastics (which take several hundreds of years), but they may also release different chemicals.
Compostable products are created to take a step further and protect nature even more.
These aspects are crucial when choosing a product. It’s important to check it for specific elements such as the Compostable logo on the package.
If you are not sure what product to choose, go for any of these alternatives that are available to you. It will protect the environment better than a conventional plastic product.
How toxic are plastic trash bags?
Did you know the entire world uses around 500 billion plastic trash bags every year? That’s quite a big number.
Can you guess how many of these bags are recycled? Less than you think.
The costs of recycling plastic trash bags exceed the costs of producing new ones. This is how enormous numbers of trash bags end up in the environment.
It takes many years for them to decompose, time in which the material leaches dangerous chemicals in the soil, waters and air.
Plastic pollutes the environment from different ways
You may think that plastic pollution refers to what happens after plastic products end up in the environment.
It’s more than that.
Plastic is a material made of petroleum or natural gas, both non-renewable resources. They require energy and time-consuming processes just to be extracted.
The entire manufacturing processes causes great air pollution, which affects not only nature, but our health as well.
Plastic pollution threatens animals’ lives
A great number of plastic bags end up in seas and oceans.
The animals living in those waters sometimes eat or swallow small parts or entire plastic bags. We’re talking here about wales, sea turtles, dolphins, and many more.
This eventually kills them. In some cases, people find them before it’s too late, remove the bags and save their lives.
Other aquatic wildlife such as sea sponges (used to make the best sea sponge for bathing) are also affected by the chemicals released by plastics.
Plastic pollution is dangerous for our health
The chemicals plastic releases affect not only the environment, but our health as well.
Let’s go back to plastic in the oceans.
Marine plants produce 70% of the oxygen we breath and 97% of the world’s water supply is represented by the oceans.
If the oceans are contaminated with toxins constantly released by plastics, we are exposed on a regular basis to these chemicals. This can lead to hormonal, reproductive and nervous system problems.
Why use the best biodegradable trash bags?
Biodegradable trash bags are a green alternative to plastic ones.
When you are at the cleaning/kitchen department at your store, there are a few reasons why you should pick these products.
They are an eco-friendly
Their biodegradable attribute makes them a safer product for the environment than the conventional plastic ones.
You can choose them in order to make even the slightest change.
Compostable trash bags are also an excellent option.
Contribute to reducing the plastic request
In order to change the world, you need to change what surrounds you. Your world.
When you choose the best biodegradable trash bags you contribute to reducing the request for new plastic products.
It may seem just a small step, but it can make quite a big difference.
Trash bag tip
Here is a tip to use some different trash bags.
You may have a bag filled with some other bags (old ones, shopping ones) hidden in your home. You are using some of them, but it’s unlikely you will be using all of them.
Instead of keeping them in a corner, reuse those old bags as new trash bags. It doesn’t matter the shape or size. You will be reusing them for a totally different purpose: to store your trash.