When respectful neighbors walk their dogs, they pick up the poop so that other people won’t step in it, so that it won’t contaminate areas where children may play, and so that the community remains aesthetically pleasing. But what type of bag is best for clean-up? Plastic bags can either remain in landfills for hundreds of years or risk injuring and killing wildlife. Eco-friendly biodegradable dog waste bags made from corn decompose within weeks.
Environmental Dangers of Plastic Bags
It may seem cost effective in the short term to use free plastic bags from the grocery store for pet waste clean-up, but it is costly to the environment in the long run. Plastic bags may remain intact for 500 to 1,000 years. They accumulate in landfills, and strays can kill marine birds, whales, seals, turtles and other mammals. When animals accidentally ingest them, the plastic bags fill their stomachs, inhibit digestion of food, and cause starvation. Animals can also die when entangled or trapped by plastic bags.
Alternatives to Plastic Bags
Bringing reusable cloth sacks to the grocery store to transport purchases is a viable alternative to bringing plastic bags into the home. Many grocery stores sell reusable bags made from recycled materials for those who don’t already have cloth carriers.
Utilizing biodegradable dog waste bags is a responsible alternative to using plastic bags to clean up after pets. Several companies offer dog waste bags made from cornstarch that meet both ASTM and state standards for biodegradability, and decompose into rich compost.
Biodegradable cornstarch pet waste clean-up bags are readily available in pet stores. For example, PetSmart sells Pooch Pick-Up cornstarch baggies in economical packages that average only seven cents per bag.
Online companies also offer biodegradable pet waste bags, along with detailed information about the nature of their products.
BioBag dog waste clean-up bags are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute. The bags are made from GMO free corn and no polyethylene is used in production. They reportedly decompose in 10 to 45 days in a compost environment, and will also biodegrade in fresh and salt water in 8 to 14 months.
Poop Bags meets the ASTM D6400 standards for biodegradability, and reports that their bags decompose in 60 to 90 days, just slightly longer than the decomposition time for an apple.
Benefits of Biodegradable Cornstarch Bags
- At a cost of six to ten cents per bag, biodegradable cornstarch pet waste clean-up bags are an inexpensive way to help the environment.
- Readily available in nearby pet stores and online, they are a convenient way to personally curb waste and pollution.
- Instead of filling the earth for up to 1,000 years, they turn into compost in 10 to 90 days.
- Because of shorter decomposition time, there is less likelihood of causing harm to wildlife than with the use of plastic bags.
- Bags made from GMO free corn alleviate concerns that genetically modified organism may negatively impact natural plant and animal life, and human health.
- Polyethylene free production reduces the release of unnatural hydrocarbons and carcinogens into the environment.
Biodegradable cornstarch pet waste clean-up bags are a practical way to reduce plastic trash that is hazardous to the environment, and help pet owners and their dogs preserve the earth.
