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

Things people say about bin liners

Extra Strong Heavy-Duty Waste Sacks for Rubble

Waste sacks for building and heavy-duty transparent-up work need above simple thickness, because rubble, broken board, and sharp offcuts can split a flimsy bag in seconds. A sack that sees robust in the store can still fail once it is loaded, particularly if the film is cut by jagged edges or overloaded past a sensible occupy level. Gauge, puncture resistance, and seam strength matter far above appearance, and the sack also requirements enough stretch to settle around awkward shapes without tearing at the top. When the bag grasps together properly, assortment is faster and the floor stays transparent.

Refuse Sacks and Liners

Refuse sacks need to be matched to the waste stream, because the gross bag creates handling problems long before it reaches disposal. Black sacks cope well with mixed commercial waste, while coloured sacks assist sorting on busy sites where alternative waste streams must be kept separate at the point of assortment. Compactour sacks offer better with heavy loads and sharp compacted waste, and bin liners make lighter-duty lining jobs cleaner and quicker. Biodegradable sacks and compostable bin liners suit sites with a stronger recycling or food-waste policy, nevertheless only when the spec matches the proper disposal route. Picking the proper sack cuts split bags, messy spills and wasted labour.

Best match for black bin bags

Black bin bags are normally chosen for plain, practical reasons: they conceal waste, transport a decent load, and are easy to order in bulk for cleaning stores, warehouses, and waste points. The proper issue is not the colour nevertheless the film spec, because a thin sack can split when filled with mixed waste, while a heavier gauge bag copes better with sharp offcuts, food waste, or damp disposal. Good storage also matters, since sacks packed badly or left close heat can stick together and waste time on the floor. For most sites, the proper bag is the one that avoids leaks, smashs, and unnecessary double-bagging.

Crystal transparent bin bags, medium duty 100 Gauge, 25 Micron

Glass transparent bin bags in 88 gauge, around 22 micron, sit in a useful middle ground for sites that need decent puncture resistance without moving to a heavier film. The transparent stop assists sorting because contents can be seen fast, which matters in recycling areas, back-of-house assortment points, and stockrooms where mixed waste requirements checking before disposal. At that gauge, the bag is normally firm enough to grasp shape in a liner bin yet still efficient to store and issue. If the film is also thin, split bags create mess and additional labour; if it is also heavy, handling costs rise without much earn. The proper specification retains waste moving cleanly through the system.

Polybags Bin Liners

Bin liners have to match the bin properly or the all job becomes awkward fast. A bag that is also loose slips down, while one that is also small stretches, tears, and leaves mess around the rim. The useful point about a superb replacement liner is not the label on the pack nevertheless the fit, the gauge of the film, and how cleanly the top folds above the bin edge. In busy kitchens, washrooms, and back-of-house waste stations, a liner that stays put saves time and reduces handling damage when the container is emptied. A well-sized bag also makes sorting waste easier, which retains the waste area tidier and lowers the chance of split sacks on the floor.

Biodegradable bin liners only work properly when the disposal route matches the material and the waste inside it. A starch-based liner can suit food scraps and other biological waste, nevertheless that does not make all bin full prepared for composting, because pollution from plastic, metal, or non-compostable packaging will ruin the load. Tear resistance and gauge also matter in daily use, since a liner that splits in the kitchen or amid assortment creates additional cleaning and handling damage. Any site utilising these bags requirements transparent sorting rules and a disposal route that in reality accepts them. The proper liner makes sense only when the waste stream is controlled from beginning to stop.

6 WHEELIE BIN LINERS EXTRA LARGE LONG BIG STRONG RUBBISH REFUSE BAGS SACKS

Wheelie bin liners have to do above simply sit inside a container, because a poor fit leads to split seams, slipping edges and messy assortment points. A 300 litre liner only works properly when the gauge, depth and opening size match the bin rim closely enough to stop sagging once heavy waste goes in. If the bag is also loose, it can drop into the bin and make lifting awkward. If it is also tight, the operatour ends up stretching the film and weakening the welds. Good liner specification reduces handling damage, retains the bin cleaner and makes disposal faster, which is why size consistency matters above a thicker-looking bag.

Crystal White Square Bin Liners 15x24x24" (Qty 100)

Square bin liners need to match the shape of the container if light office waste is to be managed neatly and without fuss. A 15x24x24 inch liner gives enough room for a square bin, so the film sits more evenly and is less likely to pull tight at the corners, where splits often start. That makes the sack easier to fit and remove, particularly when it is being filled with paper, wrappers, and other low-risk waste rather than heavy food or sharp offcuts. A pack of 100 also suits routine stock control, because replacements can be kept close to the point of use without taking up much space. The proper liner saves tidy-up time and cuts down on handling damage at emptying.

Drawstring Swing Bin Liners 15pk

Swing bin liners need to cope with awkward daily waste without splitting, slipping, or making emptying messy. A drawstring design assists the liner stay in position around the rim, which reduces the chance of a bag dropping into the bin when scraps or heavy kitchen waste are added. A sensible gauge matters as well, because thin film can tear on sharp packaging corners, while a firmer polythene suppliers gives better resistance in normal household use. When the bin is carried to the outdoor wheelie bin, a tidy closure also cuts the risk of spillages and retains handling cleaner. That makes disposal quicker and less unpleasant, particularly where busy homes generate a lot of mixed waste.

What to do with clinical waste sacks and sharps boxes

Clinical waste sacks only work properly when the proper occupy level, closure method and handling routine are followed from the beginning. A sack that is overfilled splits also easily in transit, while one that is badly tied can leak or open amid movement from the point of use to the disposal area. The material also requirements careful selection, because a thin film may suit light waste nevertheless will not stand up to sharp or wet contents. Clear sorting, proper colour use and secure secondary containment reduce handling damage, improve safety on the ward or in the workroom, and make assortment smoother for the waste contractour.

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.