Greenest poo bags?

[JudyN]

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I've just realised I need to order more poo bags, like NOW! I usually use these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scot-Petsh...=UTF8&qid=1548237717&sr=1-8&keywords=poo+bags

They have handles, which is important for me as when used I can clip them onto the pocket of my coat or to my dog walking bag. They are biodegradable... BUT they still contain plastics. Biodegrading is all well and good but the plastic will still get into the environment.

Has anyone any thoughts on what the greenest dog poo bags are? I'm eyeing up these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-AlphaPet-Compostable-Poop-Bags/dp/B01GEW7OPG?th=1 But they work out at 7.9p a bag whereas my usual ones are 2.3p a bag, and they don't have handles. I suppose I could put them inside a handled bag which I reuse, which might also help if they have a tendency to start biodegrading the moment I get caught in the rain...

 

[Mad Murphy]

Your last comment about the rain is the reason I wont use bio bags (apart from the sheer expense). I have had them degrade on my shoes trousers etc while walking to the bin Ive also found they stick and begin to degrade as soon as they come into contact with wet hands. Considering the amount of rain we get here thats most days...

 

[JudyN]

The ones that claim to be biodegradable, in the sense that they will break down into tiny pieces, but are still plastic based are fine - my usual ones survive a deluge with no problem. But I've never tried 'compostable' ones. I've also been looking at these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Premium-10...8239157&sr=1-3&keywords=TSP+Premium+Poop+Bags which state 'Plant based: TSP Biodegradeable Poop Bags are made with 30% renewable ressources (corn starch), the rest is petro based, but has a chemical structure that is accessible for enzymes, afterwards it can be broken down and by micro-organisms to water CO2 and biomass. Please Note: Bags made of 100% corn starch are almost impossible to produce with the current state of the art, if you should see such an offer, you should ask how much the share of renewables really is.'

It's not easy being green!

 

[Mad Murphy]

Yeah the types I tried were plant based with corn starch. I think thats why they stick to wet skin so badly. I've also tried the fold out and scoop paper type which are ok but clumsy to use.

 

[JudyN]

I've found a listing for 'Poo Bags for Dogs with Handles.' That's no good, Jasper doesn't have handles!

 

[Caro Perry]

From what I understand you may as well buy the cheap ones.

The "compostable" ones won't breakdown in landfill and I don't think there are any that are home compostable. I am not aware of any councils that allow the compostable ones in the food waste collections which is where they need to go to be composted.

The biodegradable ones just break down into plastic fragments.

 

[JudyN]

Quoting a post and editing a link within it is likely to get you found out if you do it wrong....

 

[Sandra Christiana]

Sorry Judyn. That was a mistake. I apologize.

 

[arealhuman]

No point in using fully eco friendly ones here - general waste and poo bin contents all go for incineration.

 

[Drift's Owner]

There is a big difference between biodegradable and degradeable. Degradable means that they are plastic based and will breakdown into tiny fragments of plastic. Biodegradable (if marked as EN EN-13432) means that they are certified to European standards and breakdown to water, CO2 and biomass, (meaning natural product...e.g. if they were made from corn starch product, they would break down to the elements that made the corn starch in the first place). Degradeable plastic is not good...for the pure reason if it escapes into the environment you end up with zillions of tiny bits of plastic and in many cases this would be worse than a plastic bag that stays whole and has a better chance of being picked up or collected and incinerated or put into landfill, (either way degradable or whole they are terrible for oceans, marine and riverways and landfill). I use these bags for my Great Dane cross:

allBIO 100% Compostable & Biodegradable Extra Strong Dog Poop Bags - 300 Bags 5668767610808 | eBay

If you are not on Ebay try searching Allbio company. They also make the bags for home composting for council waste.

I find with biodegradable / compostable bags that they are softer than plastic, so yanking them is more likely to split them, but I mean yanking them and not just pulling them apart. So I just pull mine apart and open them up before I head out with the dog - just to make it easier to use them in an emergency. I've only ever had one split when I pulled it, but I've had more plastic based ones in the past do that.

They have handles too!

The good news with these types, is that if they are sent to landfill, then they will break down and not leave plastics behind. I've never had any problems with them getting wet or breaking when in carrying the messy stuff. They are a medium sized bag, so I might need to use two for my large dog when he has been stealing treats behind my back, but otherwise they have been suffice.

 

[JudyN]

There's also a difference between 'biodegradable' and 'compostable'. But when they have degraded, it seems that the residue of either can contain 'inorganic material'. The difference seems to lie in under what conditions they will degrade. But if they both end up in anaerobic conditions in landfill, that doesn't necessarily make any difference.

It's all very confusing!

 

[Caro Perry]

Sadly biodegradable doesn’t work in landfill. The process doesn’t work in the absence of oxygen. All those expensive green bags are not as green as they pretend to be.

I stick and flick where possible but have to use the bags on some of our walks as they are heavily used by lots of people. I am thinking about experimenting with paper bags though.

 

[Mad Murphy]

Sadly biodegradable doesn’t work in landfill. The process doesn’t work in the absence of oxygen. All those expensive green bags are not as green as they pretend to be.

I stick and flick where possible but have to use the bags on some of our walks as they are heavily used by lots of people. I am thinking about experimenting with paper bags though.

Stick and flick will get you in big trouble here a €90 fine if caught! The paper ones I tried were like the ones in the photo they dont stand up to heavy rain and really need two hands to operate

 

[JudyN]

There are some places where stick and flick is acceptable, even encouraged, round here. If it is in a place where no one is ever likely to tread, including children, it's out of sight, and it's not a protected habitat where a lot of dog poo can affect the soil (which is the case on a heath near here) then on balance, it also has to be the greenest option. Not so good if others do this and your dog is a poo eater, though.

Then there's the times when the dog does a runny one right on top of a prickly gorse bush....

 

[Caro Perry]

The forestry commission and Woodland trust actively encourage stick and flick around here. As I said I pick up anyway in heavily used areas.

I was planning on carrying the paper ones in a reusable plastic bag. You can get fancy and expensive bags just for this but I think I can improvise. I have used empty crisp bags with sone success. They neither biodegrade nor recycle and are easily found in the hedges unfortunately.