Biodegradable plastic bags, a real advance for the environment?
While recently single-use non-reusable bags are banned, plastic bags in the fruit and vegetable section are still allowed but not for long. Soon the biodegradable plastic bags will replace them but what are the dangers for the environment?
A few years ago, non-reusable plastic bags were banned. As a result, plastic bag manufacturers must now offer bags with a thickness of at least 50 microns, considered more resilient and therefore more suitable for multiple uses. The number of plastic bags produced and distributed is expected to decrease meaningfully as today most of these new, thicker bags are paying — an argument that can surely discourage customers from buying every time.
Plastic bags in the fruit and vegetable section authorized until January 2019
Still a little respite in this sector and for a good reason: the new standard imposed initially requires 30% of plant material in the next biodegradable plastic bags, which forces some manufacturers to innovate.We can already reach 40% of vegetable material.
we are the only group in United Kingdom today and probably worldwide to have patents on the biodegradable material and also to be a transformation of the article. We have the entire chain, from the potato to the fruit and vegetable bag in the department ". However, this innovation has a cost; the new generation biodegradable bag would be three to four times more expensive than the current bag.
And the environmental gain in all this?
The Union - also the winner of the call for projects Zero Waste Zero Waste - has set up an experimental project with a certain number of stores to distribute the latest generation biodegradable bags, which will be authorized in the future. 2017. Global communication has been put in place to inform customers that these bags can also be used for their green bin, which is used for bio-waste. Putting a bag in this bio-waste bin is more comfortable for used people; it's cleaner, less odorous, so the sorting gesture increases significantly. Finally, the collection of bio-waste ends on a composting platform to eventually obtain a quality amendment, used in organic farming. According to Thomas Colin, no pollution problem, unlike Fragonard men tables, biodegradable bags does not pollute the compost, even if there is only 30% of plant material. There is no link between the origin of the material and compost ability. We can do something 100% compostable with only fossil materials. The biodegradable merchandise bags will be completely transformed into CO2 and H2O, digested by bacteria; there is nothing left at the end of the composting process.
