Compostable Dog Poop Bags vs. Traditional Bags: Our Experiment

Compostable Dog Poop Bags vs. Traditional Bags: Our Experiment

The dog poo bag experiment that'll shock you into change

What happened when we buried a degradable, biodegradable and compostable dog poop bag in our garden for six months?

It's December 2020, armed with a trowel, a degradable, biodegradable and compostable dog poo bag I brave the cold and head towards the bottom of the garden.
Why? you might ask. Because fancy graphics/terminology and rants on social media aren't enough, people need visual evidence if they're to believe anything - and I'm on a mission to provide just that.
Each dog poo bag is buried about 4-5 inches deep, labelled and photographed before I head inside for a warming brew. (Black - degradable, Green - biodegradable, Orange - Compostable).
whats the difference between a degradable, biodegradable and compostable dog poo bag?
This is the part where we'd usually see an awesome time-lapse video coupled with fancy yet dramatic music that'll showcase the change in seasons and mask our outbursts "I'm so tired". As we come to grips with becoming parents for the first time.
It's now July 2021, and I head back down to the garden armed with my trusty trowel, ready to dig up the bags.
compostable poo bag experiment by bag and boop
No real shock as the degradable dog poo bag is removed. It looks as it did the day I buried it.
The same applies to the biodegradable dog poo bag, no visual change. This did shock me somewhat as these are the bags most people are drawn to. Gotta give credit where it's due, fancy marketing terms and imagery draped all over the packaging are definitely working.
Up next, the compostable dog poo bag. It's worth noting that this was buried outside of ideal composting conditions. Once again I was surprised, but pleasantly as the bag felt brittle - it just tore/snapped during extraction.

the results of a compostable dog poo bag experiment by bag and boop

As you can see the results are somewhat shocking. But for me, this wasn't enough I was still curious, Are the bags still functional? Has been buried in the ground had any effect on them at all?

Better still could they pass the ultimate test? Bring on the soup tin challenge.

As you can see from the video the degradable bag is perfectly fine to use.

Once again the shock of the experiment was provided by the biodegradable bag - perfectly usable, no signs of weakness either.

The clear winner despite not being placed into ideal composting conditions is the compostable dog poo bag. Clear signs that the bag has begun to break down, is completely usable and crumbles upon touch.
I hope that this experiment helps shed some light on the difference between the bags and leads to a more eco-friendly decision.
Should you choose to switch to compostable dog poo bags, feel free to use the code blog post to save 10%.

Better still subscribe to our email list to enjoy 15% off your first order.

Read on for even more information regarding the make-up of each bag.

Discover the difference

Degradable 

Crafted from polyethene, a common form of plastic. It's important to note that despite its degradable nature, it can take up to 1000 years to fully break down. This extended breakdown period leads to the release of micro-plastics, which can have detrimental effects on the soil, oceans, and waterways.

Biodegradable 

The most misleading of the three due to clever phrasing and visual representations. Constructed from a blend of petroleum, chemicals, and supplementary microorganisms. There are no established timeframes, criteria, or certifications necessary to authenticate or substantiate any assertions regarding the process or duration of decomposition. Requires several years to decompose.

Compostable 

Produced using renewable cornstarch sources. Adheres to strict European standards - Within 12 weeks, no more than 10% of the original material remains in pieces larger than 2mm, and ensures zero contamination of the soil. Leaves behind no micro-plastics, only soil-enriching nutrients.*Results based on ideal composting conditions.

Fun fact - All things labelled compostable are in fact biodegradable, but all things labelled biodegradable aren't actually compostable.

Discover more from our blog:

Can You Compost Dog Poo?

Harmful ingredients in dog shampoo to avoid 

 

Back to blog