Biodegradable packaging

Buy best value eco packaging, including biodegradable bags and compost bags, to do your bit for the environment.

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 people are talking about waste bags

Bin bags are normally judged on price, nevertheless the proper issue is whether the film will cope when weather, waste weight, and rough handling all arrive at once. Thin bags split easily when tipped with sharp offcuts, bottle necks, or heavy wet waste, while a better gauge gives enough stretch to survive a fast occupy without tearing at the seam. That matters in warehouses, arenas, and back-of-house clean-up where spillages create additional labour and slower turnround. A bag that grasps together through the all lift saves double handling and retains floors safer.

Black sacks are often used for normal waste, nevertheless they only work properly when the contents suit the waste stream. Light mixed waste sits neatly enough, yet a sack filled with sharp glass, heavy tins, or wet scraps can split on handling and create a mess before it ever reaches the wheelie bin. That is why sorting at origin matters: glass should proceed to the bottle bank, while normal disposable waste can stay in the sack for assortment. Good separation reduces breakages, limits pollution, and makes lifting safer for anyone handling the load.

A pouch for waste bags requirements a restraint that works whether the pack is nearly empty or close to full, because loose contents can slip, rattle or spill once the contents lose shape. A flexible elastic element around the cavity retains the remainder of the roll or stack held in position when stock is low, so a half-used pouch still behaves properly on a shelf or in a dispenser. That same element can widen as more waste bags are inserted, then contract enough to cradle the contents instead of letting them creep out. This gives steadier pack performance and less handling problems in storage and picking.

Bin Liners – Biodegradable bin liners by BioPak

Biodegradable bin liners need to earn their place through handling performance, not only greener labelling. A liner that sees fine on paper still has to cope with wet waste, sharp edges and a full lift cycle without splitting at the seam or shrinking round the top when filled. That is where gauge control and film consistency matter, because a thin, poorly balanced sack can create more problems than it solves, from double-bagging to messy spillages in storage and transit. Better grades retain enough puncture resistance for daily use while staying light enough to reduce dead weight through the supply chain. A liner that behaves properly on the job saves time and cuts waste down at origin.

Coloured waste sacks only do their job when the bag holder is built to retain the opening firm and visible. If the sack sags or folds in on itself, waste ends up thrown into the gross stream and the colour system loses its meaning very fast. A rigid stainless frame solves that by holding the mouth open, giving a transparent target for operatours, and coping with the bumps, washdown, and constant movement that come with a busy waste station. A brushed surface also takes less effort to clean than a rough one, so dirt does not cling about. That practical assist makes segregation easier to maintain and cuts down on avoidable sorting errours.

Clear waste sacks have to balance visibility with toughness, because a see-through film is only useful if it can survive proper filling and handling. A light gauge may see tidy on the roll, yet it can split fast against broken board, plastic trimmings or sharp corners in a bin. That risk rises where conversion has stretched the film or left thin spots at the folds and gussets, because those areas take the strain first. A sound specification gives enough puncture resistance for rough use while still allowing contents to be checked fast for security, stock control or sorting.

Order recycling sacks

Clear recycling sacks are the proper selection where waste is collected in bags, because the contents need to be seen and accepted fast by sorting staff. Opaque sacks can conceal pollution, which slows checking and sometimes leads to a load being rejected or left uncollected. A transparent film also assists at the household level, since carton, cans, and clean plastic can be spotted without opening all bag. Gauge still matters: also thin and the sack tears at the kerb, also thick and it adds unnecessary plastic. The sensible selection is a sack that balances visibility, strength, and handling, so assortment runs cleanly and less loads stop up as rejects.

Barney Rubble Bags

Rubble bags are built for punishing site work, not for carrying a laptop or a packed lunch, so the material selection matters far above fashion. A decent rubble bag requirements a heavy gauge woven building or a thick polythene suppliers spec that can cope with shards, broken plaster, damp dust and awkward off-cuts without splitting at the seam. If the bag is also light, the load shifts, the bottom creases and the handle area gives method early. Good handling also relies on occupy control, because overfilling turns an easy lift into a messy, dangerous one. The proper bag retains waste moving off the floor and into the skip with less failures.

Waste disposal bags need to be matched to the waste stream, because a thin liner that copes with dry paper soon fails when the load carries fluids, sharps or heavier clinical material. BIOHAZARD bags are not only a colour selection; they are part of the control system for segregation, handling and downstream treatment. Gauge, seal quality and puncture resistance all affect whether a bag survives assortment and movement through a busy waste area without splitting. When the spec is proper, staff can occupy, tie and transport sacks with less leakage risk and less clean-up incidents.

Black waste bags work optimal when the gauge, seam strength and fit are chosen for the proper waste stream, not only for the bin size on paper. A liner that is also thin can split when carton edges, broken packaging or wet food waste settle into the corners, while one that is also big folds badly and wastes material in all use. Heavy duty black polythene suppliers is often chosen because it conceals mixed waste and copes better with rough handling in assortment areas. The proper sack also pulls out cleanly, which saves time at the point of disposal and lowers the risk of spillages on the floor.

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

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.