Green Genius Trash Bags are currently not available. But don't fret! There are plenty of option for your needs. Check out our selection of similar biodegradable trash bags listed below!
Reduce your waste today!
The majority of biodegradable and compostable products need to be composted in an industrial facility, which we know is hindering some of you from making the green choice to purchase biodegradable and compostable goods. Well, we have an answer for you.
Green Genius has designed a trash bag that biodegrades in a landfill. That's right, you heard us: A landfill!
Here's how it works. We all know that plastic was designed literally to last forever. Normal plastic is "inedible" to the microbe, which means that normal plastic pretty much never biodegrades. Green Genius has combined plastic with a proprietary additive that bonds organic "nutrients" to the plastic's molecular structure. The addition of these nutrients now allows the plastic to be eaten by microbes, making the whole bag biodegrade into simpler organic matter like sugars, fatty acids and amino acids. Green Genius bags meet ASTM D5511, an industry standard for biodegradability. On top of that, these bags have everything the other guys have:
- As puncture resistant as national brands (3-ply strength, woohoo!)
- Ridiculously strong drawstrings
- Great Price!
- PLUS, they're made from 40% recycled plastic
About the only thing the other bags have that these don't is the ability to sit around intact for the next thousand years or so.
These bags have been tested by an independent lab using ASTM D5511, the industry standard test for determining anaerobic biodegradation of plastic materials under high-solids anaerobic-digestion conditions. Let's break down what that means:
- Anaerobic - It literally means "without air" and is the condition most people associate with landfills.
- High Solids - This is scientific lingo for a dry disposal environment, another "average" condition.
- Digestion Condition - This means there is microbial activity. Microbes thrive in all landfills - even in their dark, anaerobic depths.
So while there is no test for an "average landfill", ASTM D-5511 simulates conditions found in most landfills and is the most common test for simulating this environment (ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials).
Read full certification information.
Interested to read more? Here's a whitepaper chalked full of great information!
Why are Green Genius trash bags so strong?
Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic is a superior material for constructing trash bags on a strength to weight basis. Since these bags use the same LLDPE found in almost all trash bags, they are just as strong. The only difference is these bags contain a special organic ingredient that allows them to be digested by microorganisms.
What is biodegradable?
This means that a product can be completely broken down by microorganisms, leaving only natural elements like water, bio-mass and bio-gas.
How long do the bags take to biodegrade in a landfill?
Since there is no average landfill condition in the US (a landfill in Seattle could be very different than one in Florida, for example), the time for the bags to fully biodegrade will depend on the moisture content, temperature, and volume of microbes present in that landfill. So, depending on landfill conditions, Green Genius bags will biodegrade in one to ten years.
Does biodegradable mean that I can toss the bag on the ground and it will disappear?
First off, no one likes litter (and we're pretty sure it's illegal). Second, like any biodegradable product, it must be disposed of properly. These bags biodegrade when disposed of through regular trash collection.
Are the bags recyclable?
We hate to think that you can't find a good use for these trash bags, like picking up trash in your local park, but if you would rather recycle... these bags can be handled by all recycling centers that can handle LLDPE (type 4 plastic code) trash bags.
Where are Green Genius products manufactured?
Green Genius products are manufactured in the USA at a facility outside of Dallas, Texas. This facility has received an Environmentally Preferred Rating accreditation, which certifies that it maintains environmentally sensitive production facilities.
Do these bags contain heavy metals or other dirty ingredients?
No. Based on certification from suppliers, bag materials do not contain any heavy metals, plasticizers, phthalates or organohalogen content. In particular, their water-based colorants comply with the CONEG Model Toxic Legislation in regard to metal and heavy metal content.
Does biodegradation occur in landfills?
There is a common misperception that biodegradation doesn't occur in landfills. Biodegradation occurs in all landfills, although the rate can differ depending on the type of landfill. Traditional landfills slow the natural biodegradation process down through a containment strategy - an attempt to preserve trash rather than let it biodegrade. Fortunately, there is a new generation of landfills, called bio-reactors, that actually accelerate biodegradation. The benefits of these new landfills are twofold: first, a significant decrease in required landfill space, and second, the production and capture of methane for energy usage.
Are the bags compostable?
These current trash bags are not intended to be used in compost environments, and have not been certified under ASTM D6400 for compostability. Since well over 95% of all trash bags wind up in landfills, these tall kitchen and large trash bags have been designed explicitly for landfill environments and have proven their biodegradability using ASTM D5511. That said, very similar processes and microbes that allow these bags to biodegrade anaerobically (i.e., without oxygen) are at work in aerobic environments, and because of this we fully expect these bags to biodegrade in these environments as well.
