Returning contents back to nature

We searched for a dog waste bag formulated to meet ASTM D6400 standards for compostability that would be suitable for the parks and facilities contributing dog waste for our park compost programs. We looked for a U.S. manufacturer who would produce bags made from American-grown plant based material. These bags would ideally be petrochemical/polyethylene-free, non-GMO, affordable, and leave no harmful residues when they degrade.

We found compostable bags that filled most of these requirements...but guess what. None were affordable enough for high-quantity park usage. Manufacturers tell us that when demand increases - most likely due to plastic bag bans - the cost will come down. Meanwhile, compostable bags are best suited for eco-savvy souls who compost their own pet waste. Even in that scenario, waste that is loose or in paper bags composts best.

At this point, you can't win for losing when it comes to sustainable practices for pet waste. The vast majority of community organic recycling programs do not accept pet waste or disposable diapers. Communities do may not have systems compatible with compostable bags. If you are trashing dog waste, tying it in a compostable bag does not give it a degrading advantage over plastic bags. Organics entombed in landfills are preserved, not degraded.

Don't be fooled by "biodegradable" or "oxobiodegradable" -- essentially meaningless terms. For instance, a bag that is "compostable" is also "biodegradable." On the other hand, "biodegradable" usually refers to petrochemical-based bags injected with a starch substrate that helps the plastic into fragments when exposed to soil, air, heat or moisture. Degradation does not happen in a landfill and depending on bag composition, it may take many years to break down in nature.

Dog bags with a starch substrate are helpful to EnviroWagg's large-scale commercial composting because it helps us break apart the film so that the waste is exposed to biological activity. But the plastic fragments must be screened out before the product is ready for use.

Do you recycle your pet waste by self-composting or burying it? Still prefer film bags over paper? By all means, try compostable bags. EnviroWagg twist-top compostable bags degrade in the soil and leave no harmful residues.

Buy EnviroWagg Compostable Bags at these retail locations.

OR...

Purchase two 50-bag packages by mail - $13.50 U.S (includes domestic shipping & handling).

Customers outside the U.S. and commercial accounts: contact envirowagg@comcast.net.