How to buy the best Compostable Garbage Bags in Australia

The world is waking up to the need to ensure the sustainability of the environment by using products that ensure zero waste in the environment.

One of such products is the compostable garbage bags that can be used to dispose food scraps instead of plastic bags that dispose of food waste in landfills which leads to pollution.

Compostable bags are typically made of raw materials such as corn starch that decompose naturally and provide an environment for organic waste to decompose naturally under oxygen and microbe-rich elements and turn into compost that can help to fertilize plants.

However, there are different compostable bags, and the choice of which compostable bags may be slightly confusing for many.

This article would explain how to buy the best compostable garbage bags in Australia.

Common FAQs when Buying Compostable Garbage Bags

1. The Compostable Bin Liner must have the AS 5810 Australian Certification for Home Composting

In Australia, there are industry standards that regulate and determine the products that can be used as compostable.

The AS 4736 and AS5 810 are the two standards for compostable packaging in Australia. The AS 4736 is the standard for industrial compostable while the AS 5810 is the standard for home compostable.

Although both the commercial compostable and home compostable require similar requirements, the AS 5810 requires that materials undergo extreme and stringent testing which is conducted by accredited third parties.

The requirements for materials to meet this standard include;

•         Minimum of 90% of plastic materials should decompose into less than 2mm in compost within 12 weeks
•         Minimum of 90% biodegradation of plastic materials within 180 days in compost
•         Plastic materials must contain more than 50% organic materials
•         The maximum allowed levels of hazardous substances should not be exceeded
•         There should not be any toxic effect of the compost on plants and earthworms

Another advantage of home compostable over industrial compostable is the period of testing. Manufacturers take into consideration the differences between a home composting system and an industrial composting facility making the testing period for home composting a maximum of 12 months.

A home compostable also makes it very easy for the disposal of organic waste without having to look for industrial compost facilities which are not widely available and accessible in Australia.

2. The thickness of the Compostable Garbage Bags

The thickness of the compostable garbage bag matters in your choice of compostable bag to purchase. There are different gauge sizes such as; 18 microns, 25 microns, 30 microns, 40 microns, 50 microns, 75 microns, and 125 microns.

Depending on your need, you can determine your choice of compostable bags to purchase. It is important to note however that the thicker the bag, the stronger the bag which helps to make it more tear-resistant.

Thin bags are more likely to tear from objects including glass and metal, unlike thicker bags which will not tear easily without first being torn or punctured.

The recommended minimum thickness for compostable bin liners that are small like 8L and 30L is 18 microns to ensure reliability and strength to hold.

3. Buy no more than 6 months’ worth of Compostable bags at a time

As mentioned earlier, compost bags are made of materials that decompose naturally under oxygen and microbe-rich elements.

Under such conditions, compostable bags will decompose fully in three to six months and might even take less time depending on other factors such as the amount of moisture present and temperature.

It is, therefore, best to purchase compostable bags that will not have to be stored for too long before using them.

This is to avoid you purchasing lots of compostable bags only to have them decompose before you even get the chance to use them.

Due to their nature, storing compostable bags may be difficult. However, there are ways to store your compostable bags short-term to ensure that they have a longer shelf-life;

•         Store your compostable bags in an air-tight container

Air provides an enabling environment for compostable bags to decompose naturally. To ensure a longer shelf life for your compostable bags, it is therefore important that you prevent the flow of air to prevent the bags from decomposing.

•         Prevent temperature and environmental changes

Leaving your compostable bags exposed to poor environmental conditions such as excess moisture, fungus growth and activity will hasten the decomposing of your compost bags.

Extreme weather conditions will also reduce the shelf life of your compost bags and to prevent this, ensure you store your compost bags in a controlled environment to prevent temperature and environmental changes.

4. What are Compostable Garbage Bags useful for?

Compostable Garbage bags can be used to dispose leftover food scraps such as meat, baked goods, rice, pasta, cooked leftovers, vegetables, fruits, chocolate, eggshells, tea bags either loose or wrapped in newspaper or paper towel.

They can also be put directly into the green lid bin together with your garden trimmings including plants, flowers, leaves, grass clippings, sticks, straw, small branches and weeds.

However, items such as plastic bags, plastic containers, glass bottles, plastic bottles, food packaging, nappies, coffee pods cannot be put into your compostable garbage bags and in your food and garden waste bins.

Households that put their leftover food scraps and garden trimmings in their food and garden waste bin are not charged extra costs.

More and more councils are collecting the green bin more frequently like the Bayside and Glen Eira local councils. They collect the green bin weekly and now only collect the general waste bin fortnightly.

5. Can Compostable Garbage Bags be used for Dog Poop Bags?

Yes! Awesome Pack’s 8L Compostable Bin Liners are the perfect size for dog poop bags and you can just dump the whole bag straight into the green bin which is good for the environment.

They are waterproof, puncture and tear resistant. They are also certified with Australian Standard AS 5810 and are also home compostable meaning that you can put the bags into the compost and they will break down within 180 days.

The benefits of using compostable garbage bags greatly outweigh the benefits of using plastic bags to dispose of waste in the environment.

Compostable garbage bags help to create an environmentally safe method of disposing waste as opposed to plastic bags.

Plastic bags require hundreds of years to decompose and are taken to landfills where microorganisms inside the plastic bags act on them and cause them to decompose unnaturally thereby releasing harmful toxic substances.

Compostable bags on the other hand decompose naturally without releasing harmful toxic substances and reintegrate into the soil.

Another reason why compostable garbage bags are a superior choice to plastic bags is the reduction of the amount of carbon emission.

Plastic bags emit four tons of carbon emissions during the manufacturing process because they are produced form oil while compostable bags emit a mere 0.8 tons of carbon during the manufacturing process.

Additionally, because plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose, they are taken to landfills which are extra amounts of space that can otherwise be used for better purposes.

Compostable trash bags however decompose within a short time and do not need to take up extra amounts of space.

The world is evolving and placing its focus on ensuring a healthy environment. Purchasing compostable garbage bags is one way to go about it.

However, purchasing the best compostable bags is also as important as purchasing compostable garbage bags.

 

Always helping you on your eCommerce journey,

 

The Awesome Pack Team

8/72-76 Fenton St, Huntingdale VIC 3166

Ph: 1300 816 800