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 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.

Latest news and views on biodegradable packaging

Creatours of The Worlds First Plastic Free, Certified Biodegradable Glitter

Biodegradable claims in packaging need careful handling because the word means very small unless the disposal route is transparent. A material may smash down in one setting and linger in another, which is where confusion beginnings for buyers, warehouse teams and stop users sorting waste. Strong specification work matters here, particularly when a product is meant for proper-world use rather than a laboratory test. If a pack is labelled badly, it can stop up in the gross waste stream and create more handling trouble than it solves. The practical reply is to match the material to the environment it will in reality face.

compostable packaging

Compostable packaging will not smash down properly in a landfill because those sites are built to retain waste dry and tightly buried, which slows decay to a crawl. Most compostable materials need oxygen, moisture and active microbial life to turn into useful compost, and landfill conditions normally cut off all three. That means a pack labelled compostable may still sit there for years, much like plenty other thrown-away materials. The practical issue is that disposal route matters as much as the material itself, so a compostable spec only makes sense when a assortment and treatment system exists to match it.

Buy Cheap Simply Natural Dog Poop Bags And Dispenser 120 Pack 100% Extra Thick Biodegradable Dog Poo Bags With Dog Poop Bags Dispenser And Durable Lead Clip For 120 Pack Dog Waste Bags Reviews

Dog poo bags need the proper film balance, because thin compostable stock can feel fine on a shelf nevertheless split when a lead tugs or a package acquires crushed in transit. Extra thickness assists with puncture resistance and reduces the risk of leaks, yet the material still has to open cleanly and seal well on a dispenser roll. That means gauge, side-seal strength and perforation quality all matter on the converting line, particularly when the bags are hurt tightly for easy dispensing. A product that sees robust nevertheless fails at the first sharp edge only creates handling complaints and returns.

Starch-based packaging performs very differently depending on where the starch comes from and how it has been modified. Potato starch and corn starch do not behave alike in the extruder, and the level of packaging supplierstylation changes how much the material swells, how dense the foam becomes, and how much motour power is needed to shape it. A higher degree of substitution generally gives a lighter, more expandable structure, while lower-modified starch is easier to compact and tends to make a harder, denser foam. That matters because a pack that sees similar on the outside can behave very differently in handling and transport.

What Do You Mean By Eco-Friendly Bags In Particular?

Eco-friendly bags only work properly when the material is matched to the load and the journey home. A thin paper sack may transport a dry loaf or a small boxed item without trouble, nevertheless it will soon soften if chilled products, condensation or heavy contents are involved. Cotton, canvas and stronger paper grades last longer, and that can reduce waste because the bag may be kept for reuse instead of turned into litter after one trip. The practical point is simple: a greener selection that fails in use normally creates more waste, not less.

Eco-friendly packaging works optimal when the material selection matches the job rather than the marketing message. A box or wrap that still protects the contents, stacks neatly on a pallet and survives the picking route will do more for waste reduction than a lighter pack that crushes in transit. Recycled board, paper-based wraps and proper-sized cartons can cut null occupy and improve secondary packing, nevertheless the grade still has to suit the weight and shape of the product. If the pack sees tidy, prints clearly and grasps together through handling, it earns its place in the chain.

Concerns About Biodegradable Bags

Biodegradable bags solve only part of the problem if they are treated as a straight swap for normal carrier bags. The proper issue is use and disposal, because a bag that is thrown away after one trip still becomes waste, even if it smashs down faster below the proper conditions. In packaging terms, that means the focus should stay on reducing single-use consumption, selecting the proper gauge for the job, and making sure any bag suits the assortment route or recycling stream. A material change can assist, nevertheless it does not fix careless use. The optimal result comes from cutting bag count first and utilising biodegradable bags only where the stop-of-life route is properly view through.

Biodegradable Packaging Capabilities +

Biodegradable packaging works optimal when the material selection matches the job, not when it is picked for the label alone. Standard stock items can suit routine dispatch because they are already proven for normal loads, while custom formats make more sense when a product has awkward edges, fragile contents, or unique pack-out requirements. Cushioning material has to keep safe amid handballing, pallet movement, and transit vibration, so gauge, density, and recovery all matter. A poor fit leads to crushed corners or wasted occupy, while a well-chosen spec grasps the product securely and retains packers moving at a sensible speed.

1. B est eco-friendly laundry products: Ecover

Eco-friendly laundry alternatives often work optimal when the packaging and the product are chosen together, because the item itself may be reused plenty times and the pack requirements to survive storage, handling, and repeated opening. Soap nuts, laundry eggs, and wool dryer balls all fit a low-waste view, nevertheless they are not handled like a normal liquid softener in a bottle or carton. The pack has to keep safe the contents from dirt, crush damage, and moisture while still staying easy to store on a shelf or in a warehouse select-face. A superb specification retains secondary packing simple and reduces unnecessary material, which assists the product make sense beyond the label alone.

Environmentally Friendly Companies

Environmentally friendly packaging beginnings with selecting a format that does the job without carrying unnecessary weight or waste. A lighter board grade, a better cut pattern, or a finer gauge film can cut material use while still protecting the product if the pack is designed properly. The trouble starts when eco is treated as a slogan rather than a practical specification, because weak board, poor seal quality, or flimsy secondary packing soon leads to handling damage and more rejects. A sensible brief sees at product risk, pallet stability, and the route through warehousing and dispatch. The optimal result is normally a pack that uses less material and still arrives intact.