Hey! Now that we’ve gotten your attention with our greenwash-y, SEO-friendly title (thanks, Google), you should know that while there’s no such thing as “eco-friendly” trash bags, here’s what to be wise on when you’re shopping so you can pick the best option for you, the planet, and the people making your stuff.
It is estimated that Americans tossed our trash into nearly 45 billion trash bags in 2020. We spend a lot of time talking about what’s in the trash, but it’s time to focus on what that trash actually goes into.
WHAT TO BE WISE ON:
The footprint of a trash bag can vary significantly depending on how it’s manufactured, what it’s made of, and ultimately how it’s disposed of. Plastic trash bags are mostly made of a low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is made of fossil fuels and takes hundreds of years to decompose. These bags mostly break down into microplastics, which are increasingly contaminating our oceans, harming marine animals and entering our food supply (Seaspiracy, anyone?).
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THE FACTORS TO CONSIDER:
Materials
LDPE
Most plastic trash bags are made of a low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is made of fossil fuels and takes hundreds of years to decompose. These bags can break down into microplastics, which are increasingly contaminating our oceans, harming marine animals and entering our food supply.
Recycled plastic
Recycled plastic is your best friend if you're looking to reduce the impact of your trash bag consumption. While it doesn't eliminate the reality of microplastics, it does lessen the need for more virgin plastic and it keeps plastic in circulation and out of landfills. As a rule of thumb, the more recycled plastic content a bag contains, the better.
Biodegradable plastic
Biodegradable bioplastic bags are made out of agricultural scraps such as corn and sugarcane, rather than fossil fuels. They are a good option if you are willing to pay a little extra, as they’re typically more expensive. We love them because they don’t break down into microplastics, but be warned -- they're not a silver bullet solution. Any "biodegradable" bioplastic bag will emit methane (a greenhouse gas that's much more potent than carbon dioxide) in a landfill environment.
Paper
Paper bags are a non-traditional option, but if they work for you, they’re good with us.
A FEW TAKEAWAYS:
Avoiding the bag altogether is an option if you’re willing to compost and recycle diligently. Take out the slimy food waste and you might be able to use just a reusable, washable bin instead.
The best way to minimize the impact of a trash bag is to - you guessed it - create less trash! Compost kitchen scraps, buy in bulk instead of pre-packaged, and recycle everything you possibly can.
If you need to buy trash bags, as most of us do, look for 100% recycled or compostable options.
COMMON QUESTIONS WE GET
“What can I use instead of plastic bags for trash?”
Avoiding the bag altogether is an option if you’re willing to compost and recycle diligently. Take out the slimy food waste and you might be able to use just a reusable, washable bin instead.
“Is it bad to use compostable bags for trash?”
All plastic trash bags will break down into microplastics, there’s no avoiding this dirty reality. That said, trash bags made of organic material instead of fossil fuels won’t break down into microplastics, but be warned that any bio-based plastic will emit methane when it gets to landfill because of the organic material.
“Can black trash bags be recycled?”
Standard trash bags made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) are technically recyclable, but that doesn’t mean they will be recycled (check how your local municipality handles plastic #4). Some supermarkets accept LDPE plastic bags for recycling, so that might be a good place to start. Remember though, that for something to be recycled, it has to be clean...so also ask yourself if you really want to be cleaning your trash bags in order to recycle them. Maybe reuse them instead?
“What kind of trash bag is best for the environment?”
While there’s really no such thing as a “sustainable” trash bag because most trash bags are made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which is made of fossil fuels and takes hundreds of years to decompose, we choose these more sustainable trash bags to minimize our environmental impact: