What to Know About Biodegradable Trash Bags

Interested in producing less waste? In addition to recycling, check out biodegradable and compostable garbage bags.

Regular plastic trash bags don’t break down over time, meaning they will never get smaller than the size they are when you toss them in your trash can. Biodegradable plastics do eventually break down over time, but they typically won’t dissolve completely. Compostable bags do break down completely, just like food scraps.

If you fill a compostable bag with trash, it still has to be taken to a landfill. But the bag itself will still biodegrade.

If you want to make sure your compostable trash bag ends up in a composting facility (or in the compost pile in your backyard), you need to fill it exclusively with organic waste, such as food scraps, lawn clippings, wood, paper and animal waste. Separating your trash will also make you more mindful of your waste output.