It says ‘Degradable’….thats fine right?
We were looking to do a promotion this summer that included some branded poo bags, so we went to work searching for some suppliers to make this happen. They all said they were degradable, which at first we thought was great and exactly what we were looking for, until we looked into it a little further…
After asking for more information from the suppliers we began to hear that these were Oxo-Degradable bags. What does Oxo-Degradbale mean I hear you ask? Well here’s an excerpt from greendotbioplastics.com to explain more:
‘While often confused with biodegradable plastics, oxo-degradables are a category unto themselves. They are neither a bioplastic nor a biodegradable plastic, but rather a conventional plastic mixed with an additive in order to imitate biodegredation. Oxo-degradable plastics quickly fragment into smaller and smaller pieces, called microplastics, but don’t break down at the molecular or polymer level like biodegradable and compostable plastics. The resulting microplastics are left in the environment indefinitely until they eventually fully break down.’
In the end we decided against the promotion however it brought to our attention the difference in the to meanings and that anything that says ‘degradable’ isn’t necessarily the shining component we thought it was.
Heres a UK based business that provides friendly poo bags:
Sustainability at Stocky & Dee
At Stocky & Dee we use compostable bags to mail all of our orders, recycled tissue paper within the orders and fully recyclable cardboard boxes. Our postal bags are designed to be reused, either by using to mail something again or through a number of other creative ways. We recently used a bag for the below, and in a couple of weeks we can pop this directly into our garden where the bag will decompose.
These days there is no shortage of innovative new ideas on the market for environmentally friendly postage materials, so there’s really no excuse to at least start with the mailing bags! Our bags come from Better Packaging Co and they have many creative ways to reuse your bags, why not give them a go when you receive your next order.
Not only can our boxes be reused as they are but cardboard and paper are fully recyclable and can be used to created a huge amount of new products. Heres a wee video on card recycling and the process it goes through, watch now
Pup-Cycle
Through our Pup-Cycle Program we do a little bit more to limit waste. Instead of these outgrown puppy collars being thrown out, they’re given to a new home where they can be used for a few more years. Learn more about our Pup-Cycle Program here.
“There is no such thing as ‘away.’ When we throw anything away it must go somewhere”
- Annie Leonard