Q When it comes to plastic bags, is biodegradable or compostable better for the environment, or are they the same thing?
A They aren't the same, said Dianna Kennedy with Eureka Recycling.
"Degradable" simply means that the product will break down into smaller plastic components that can get into water, plants, animals and eventually humans. Many of these items contain petroleum-based plastic along with plant-derived materials. The plant-derived molecules break down and release the petroleum-based component plastics into the environment.
Meanwhile, "compostable" bags aren't compatible with plastic recycling programs, and some cannot be safely composted.
There are many bags on store shelves and covering some newspapers delivered in the Twin Cities that are marked and marketed as "degradable" or "compost bag" that are not truly compostable.
Truly biodegradable or compostable bags are made entirely of plant material, not petroleum. When composted properly -- at commercial-scale composting facility -- they break down or biodegrade completely into components that can be "eaten" by micro-organisms to produce nutrient-rich compost.
The Biodegradable Products Institute certifies that products claiming to be compostable are actually compostable. Look for products with its logo. (A list is at www.bpiworld.org.)
This confusing state of affairs is frustrating for the consumer. If you don't like it, contact your elected state officials. It doesn't have to be this way.
