When it comes to recycling, most of us know what to do. But when it comes to composting bags, the vast majority of us are probably unaware of the benefits and pitfalls. The good news is that you don’t have to be a whiz DIY composter just to take advantage of this simple but effective way of reducing waste while increasing the amount of nutrients in your soil. In this article, we’ll give you an overview on how to go green with your compostable bags and reduce their impact on the environment.
What is composting?
Simply put, composting is the process of breaking down organic waste into compost. There are several ways to compost the kitchen scraps and food waste that you produce from your family’s meals. The easiest method is to put the food waste inside an open-topped compost bin, which will allow for the breakdown of the waste using fungi and bacteria naturally present in soil. Open-topped bins also allow for a level of air circulation that can be helpful as the waste decomposes.
As well as allowing your waste to break down into compost, there are a number of other benefits to composting, including:
- Improving the soil quality of your outdoor garden.
- Reducing greenhouse gases by recycling organic waste instead of sending it to landfill.
- Creating a nutrient-rich fertilizer by mixing the composted organic waste.
- Boosting tree growth by providing a free source of organic nutrients.
Why Compost Bags Matter
Compostable bags are a brilliant idea for several reasons. First, they’re super easy to use, which means that you can start composting with ease. And second, they’re great for reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in landfills. These bags are made from plant material that has been shredded into small pieces. These shreds are then mixed with bedding compost and made into compostable bags that can then be used to collect food and compost scraps. When you’re done, you can simply empty the contents and re-use the bag to collect fresh ingredients again.
A question of whether they’re biodegradable or compostable
Bags made from a compostable material are biodegradable; this means that they break down into compost when placed in a compost pile. But is whether they’re compostable or biodegradable a matter of debate? Biodegradable plastic is what’s commonly referred to as “plastic made from plants” – compostable bags are a good example of this. While all compostable material is biodegradable, not all biodegradable material is compostable. According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) biodegradables are anything that undergoes degradation resulting from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae. Compostable means that a product is capable of breaking down into natural elements in a compost environment. Because it’s broken down into its natural elements it causes no harm to the environment. The breakdown process usually takes about 90 days.
How to Go Green With Your Compostable Bags
- Start small and easy. First, make a commitment to using compostable bags. Once you’ve made this decision, your next step is to get your hands on a few bags.
- Keep it simple. There are many different types of compostable bag available. The only thing that matters is that the bag is labelled as being made from a compostable material.
- Raising the bar. Now that you’ve got a few bags, you can start collecting food scraps and scraps from your kitchen scraps. Once you’ve got a little collection going, you can increase the amount of waste that you’re collecting. You can also increase the types of waste that you’re collecting, such as vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and paper waste.
- Changing the way you do things. When you’ve got a compostable bag in the garden, you can use it to collect fruit and veggie scraps.
- Composting with kids. Whether you’re composting with kids at home or at school, it’s important to make it fun and engaging.
The Benefits of Using Compost Bags
- Easy to use. Collecting food scraps and other organic waste in a compostable bag is super simple. All you have to do is to put the waste inside the bag, tie it up and place the bag in your compost bin.
- Compostable bags are very economical compared to buying plastic bags. A single 50L compostable bag can last up to six months.
- It’s environmentally friendly. Bags made from a compostable material are completely biodegradable and will break down when placed in a compost pile.
- It’s simple. The best part about compostable bags is that they’re easy to use, requiring no special skills or equipment.
- It’s sustainable. Bags made from a compostable material are a sustainable alternative to plastic bags.
- It’s compact. Compostable bags are super compact, making them great for storing in drawers, cupboards and cars.
- It’s convenient. Bags made from a compostable material are super convenient, making them easy to use.
The Drawbacks of Using Compost Bags
It takes time to fully break down. When you add organic waste to a compost heap, it will take time to fully break down. You need space. You’ll need to have space for a compost bin and enough organic waste to fill it.
It requires effort. While composting is free, it does require effort on your part. You have to keep your compost bin topped up and regularly turn the contents using a pitchfork.
It takes up space. Bags made from a compostable material take up space when you’ve finished using them, requiring more storage space than plastic bags.
It smells. When you add organic waste to a compost heap, it will smell. This is natural and is not a problem as long as the heap is ventilated adequately.
It takes time. Composting is a slow process that takes time to complete. Before placing a compostable bag into your backyard compost pile, be sure to check the markings on the bag. If it does not contain the Home Compost Certification, it must be composted at a municipal composter. Commercial facilities may not exist in your area.
Summary
When it comes to recycling, most of us know what to do. But when it comes to composting, the vast majority of us are probably unaware of the benefits and pitfalls. The good news is that you don’t have to be a whiz at DIY composter just to take advantage of this simple but effective way of reducing waste while increasing the amount of nutrients in your soil. In this article, we’ll give you an overview on how to go green with your compostable bags and reduce their impact on the environment.
Homelink can meet all of your biodegradable bag and wrap manufacturing requirements. Please visit our compostable bags page for more details.