Best Biodegradable Kitchen Trash Bags

Say an environmental expert asked for your advice in the kitchen:

“Should I line my kitchen trash bin with biodegradable bags or compostable bags?”

How would you respond?

‍

Your choice is between biodegradable kitchen trash bags that take “Quote on Quote Forever” to biodegrade down to nothing… Versus a compostable trash bags that takes several days, weeks, or months to “Quote on Quote Biodegrade”.

Should you recommend biodegradable or compostable trash bags?

‍

We’ve heard good things about compostable trash bags made of cornstarch, in terms of being ethically produced, sustainable, and easy to use quality kitchen bin liners.

We can agree to avoid global climate change for generations down the road. If a regular non-biodegradable, non-compostable plastic takes “Quote on Quote Thousands of Years” to biodegrade down to nothing, then it’s all just a matter of time, isn’t it?

Good thing today’s consumers have good options when buying 13-gallon tall kitchen trash bags that are biodegradable, or better yet, compostable.

‍

‍

Compostable vs Biodegradable Kitchen Trash Bags

When shopping for good kitchen bags, it’s tough to tell the difference between compostable bags and biodegradable bags. These general guidelines will point you in the right direction:

Compostable bags are supposed to break down quickly into nutrient-rich compost. Compostable plastic is plastic that breaks down in a few days. Compostable plastic is always considered biodegradable.

Biodegradable bags generally take longer to break down, but don’t necessarily contain nutrients to compost. Biodegradable plastic is plastic that breaks down over decades. Not every biodegradable plastic can be considered compostable.

‍

***Technically speaking, most consumers prefer compostable over biodegradable. To fit inside a standard U.S. kitchen trash bin, it’s compostable tall kitchen trash bags most people need to go from kitchen-to-garden. Business owners might benefit from heavy duty biodegradable trash bags which perform more like regular plastic.***

‍

Compostable trash bags are generally made from something plant-based, such as cornstarch or sugarcane or something. The story goes, they break down rather quickly into nutrient-rich compost, so people actually toss composted trash bags into their garden.

However when you shop online, sellers offer both compostable and biodegradable kitchen trash bags.

‍

How long does it take for a compostable trash bag to decompose?

People who want to compost from kitchen to garden want their tall kitchen trash bags to completely break down into bits that mix well with soil.

A trash bag compostable for the purpose of garden compost will decompose approximately on this timeline:

Day 1 → 0% degradation with bag fully functional.
Day 15 → 33% degradation with noticeable signs of breakdown.
Day 30 → 75% degradation with bag no longer functional.
Day 90 → 90% degradation only small pieces remain.

‍

Packaging Symbols for Good Trash Bags

It’s also difficult to decipher which label means the truth with United States green packaging symbols and logos.

What is the official label for certified biodegradable trash bags?

What is the official label for certified compostable trash bags?

With over twenty logos between recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable are green, we ask more questions than we get answers…

The range of green symbols sure is confusing. Between U.S. green market branding and U.S. green packaging government authorities, it’s a new industry with lots of wiggle room.

‍

Source: Common Green Packaging Labels in the United States

‍

***The green biodegradable and compostable logos below were generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) called ChatGPT Paid Version. They are NOT true. They are fake AI-generated green packaging symbols for online demo purposes only. They are NOT intended for use on standard 13-gallon tall kitchen trash bag packaging.***

‍

🦝 #1 - ChatGPT AI Generated Image of a U.S. Biodegradable Trash Bags Packaging Symbol

‍

🦝 #2 - ChatGPT AI Generated Image of a U.S. Compostable Trash Bags Packaging Symbol

‍

Top 3 Compostable and/or Biodegradable Trash Bags

‍

#1 SIMPLY BIO

🚯 Shoppe on SIMPLY BIO official website.

🚯 Shop on Amazon. #ad

SIMPLY BIO 13-Gallon Heavy-Duty Drawstring Trash Bags | A good size trash bin liner size is 25 inches wide and 32 inches tall, but please refer to Hefty and Glad standard sizes for the tall kitchen trash bin’s true dimensions. But 25 inches wide by 32 inches tall should fit most standard U.S. kitchen trash cans.

‍

#2 ETSUS

🚯 Shop on ETSUS official website.

🚯 Shop ETSUSon Amazon.

ETSUS Heavy Duty Biodegradable Trash Bags | 100% biodegradable. Drawstrings that are green and tie easily. Fits standard 13-gallon kitchen trash bins. Yellow color with green drawstrings, nice!

‍

#3 Hold On

‍Hold On Compostable Tall Kitchen Trash Bags | A composite of plant-based and compostable materials to formulate a heavy-duty yet easy-on-the-environment tall kitchen trash bag for United States eco-conscious consumers.

🚯 Shop on Hold On official website.

🚯 Shop Hold On on Amazon.

‍