And do it in a way that will not contaminate the waste with microplastic fractions along the way as it travels from kitchen to farmland. When using a conventional plastic waste bag, it’s inevitable that microplastic fractions will mix with the organic waste, and thus end up in the soil, when spread as compost. And since conventional plastic does not disappear, the plastic contamination of the farmland will accumulate with each new layer of compost that is spread.

Changing the bag to a (certified) fully compostable version however, will completely eliminate the risk of this contamination. A fully compostable waste bag looks the same, and has the same functionalities as a conventional plastic one. But this particular bag, will become part of the waste it carries, and leave no persistent microplastic fractions in the compost or biopulp. Even if bits of the compostable bag ends up in the soil, it will not be harmful and eventually dissappear.

As if it wasn’t enough, this type of bio bag has proven to have a hidden power on top of the obvious one of not producing microplastic. Studies in several EU countries have shown that if sorted food waste is collected in bio bags rather than in conventional plastic bags, the quantity as well as the quality of the collected food waste is greatly increased. Whaaaat!??? It’s a derived effect, and the true power of this bag, as it actually changes people’s behaviour for the better – leading to a much better quality compost, that will ultimately improve our soil. So please, change the bag, and give back to the Bioeconomy…

More on certifications:

Unfortunately, not all bio-based plastics are sustainable nor are they biodegradable under all conditions[i], so again we raise a flag for the ‘right’ certifications.

The ultimate guide to home composting: turn waste into garden gold!

Compost is ready when it’s dark, crumbly, and smells earthy, usually within 1-12 months, depending on how well you manage your pile.

More Inspiration

Biobag is part of Novamont Group, which is proud to be a Certified B Corp™

A side order of microplastics, anyone?

Organic waste: an environmental threat or the best solution ever?