What is the difference between degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags? Which cart should you place them in?
DEGRADABLE
Degradable bags are made from plastic with other chemicals added (including heavy metals) that cause the plastic to break down and disintegrate over time when exposed to sunlight and heat. If degradable bags are released into our environment they become quite problematic as they break down into hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic. Animals can consume the smaller pieces of plastic more readily than they would if the bags were still whole. It is also much more difficult to remove hundreds of tiny pieces of plastic from the environment than it is to remove a single bag.
Degradable bags should only be used for and placed into your black garbage cart.
BIODEGRADABLE
Like degradable bags, biodegradable are often still plastic bags that have microorganisms added to break down the plastic.
Biodegradable bags should only be used for and placed into your black garbage cart.
COMPOSTABLE
Compostable bags are made of natural plant starch and do not produce any toxic material. Compostable bags break down readily in a composting system through microbial activity to form compost.
Compostable bags can be used to line your kitchen compost bin for the collection of food scraps and then placed into the green cart. Don’t waste them in your black garbage cart as they will not compost well in a landfill environment.
For further clarification check out this comprehensive list of items you can and cannot include in your compost cart:
