As a responsible dog parent, chances are you pick up your dogs' poop. You pick it up in a plastic dog poop bag and dispose of it in the bin. However, have you ever thought about the effect these single-use plastic bags are having on our environment? 

The Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PMFA) estimates the United Kingdom's dog population to be approximately 9 million dogs. Imagine the number of poops produced by this many dogs. That's too many single-use plastic bags going straight to landfill, where it is estimated they take up to 1000 years to break down.

It's scary to think about, but we, as a nation, dispose of millions if not billions of single-use plastic poop bags for dogs every year, and they are having a detrimental effect on our environment. If you also take the rest of the world into consideration, you can start to see the problem's actual extent. The environment is paying the price for our actions. We need to change this.

 

What do we mean by single-use plastic?

Single-use plastics are a hot topic right now, and for a good reason, but what does the term single-use plastic actually mean? 

Single-use plastic is a term given to any plastic item designed for disposal after one use. Poop bags for dogs are single-use for apparent reasons, and unfortunately, there is no way around this because, let's admit it, no one wants to attempt using dog poop bags again! 

We can reduce the impact on the environment if we think more carefully about our dog poop bag choice and educate ourselves as the more we educate ourselves, the more we can make small changes to help.

For example, choose dog poop bags that are plastic-free and are truly eco-friendly, environmentally-friendly, and sustainable.

 

Types of poop bags for dogs

With the vast amount of dog poop bags on the market, it can be confusing and hard to decide on the best ones to buy. You may see them sold as biodegradable, compostable or even both, but which is the best eco-friendly, environmentally-friendly and sustainable option?

The terms biodegradable and compostable can often be confused and used interchangeably; however, they are not the same. Let's take a closer look.

What are biodegradable poop bags for dogs?

If a dog poop bag is biodegradable, it can break down and decay naturally through biological processes (e.g. microorganisms); it is a natural process that humans do not control. 

What are compostable poop bags for dogs?

Composting, on the other hand, is a type of biodegradation; however, it is a human-controlled process. If you compost a compostable dog poop bag, it produces compost that we can use in our gardens and on our plants.

 

The growing problem of greenwashing

Greenwashing is a term used to describe a type of marketing in which companies lead consumers to believe products are more environmentally friendly and eco-friendly. Consumers then buy the products without thinking more deeply about whether this is the case for that particular product.

Take, for example, biodegradable poop bags for dogs; marketing usually points towards these being a better eco-friendly option, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. Not all biodegradable dog poop bags are created equal. It depends on the composition of the bag, and these claims can often be misleading.

Biodegradable plastic bags can be just as damaging to the environment as other non-biodegradable single-use plastic bags. Yes, they break down, but as they use similar petrochemical-based materials in their manufacture like conventional plastic, they degrade, producing toxic chemicals that can cause harm to the environment.

Depending on the type of bag, some may also break down into smaller tiny pieces making them more challenging to remove from the environment. 

These tiny pieces are known as microplastics and are even more damaging to the environment than if the bag was non-biodegradable and thrown away in one piece. As the plastic fragments are smaller, it is easier for them to enter our waterways and be ingested by marine life, thus entering the food chain. It is much better to select a completely plastic-free alternative.

 

Adios Plastic eco-friendly dog poop bags

(biodegradable AND compostable poop bags for dogs)

The good news is there are more environmentally friendly, eco-friendly and even sustainable options available. You can begin reducing your dog's carbon pawprint today.

Adios Plastic poop bags for dogs are an excellent, eco-friendly and environmentally-friendly option made from cornstarch. Cornstarch is a natural and sustainable material that decomposes into carbon dioxide and water, which is better for the environment.

Adios Plastic dog poop bags are also free of petrochemical-based materials and plastic-free, meaning they don't break down into toxic chemicals or harmful microplastics like conventional plastic dog poop bags! Not only that, they are both biodegradable and compostable.

The dog poop bags come in cardboard eco-friendly packaging that you can easily recycle at home. Eco-friendly products in eco-friendly packaging, it's every eco-conscious person's dream!

You can do your bit today to help save the environment from plastic pollution by ditching single-use plastic dog poop bags. A simple change can make such a big difference!

Shop our range of Adios Plastic poop bags for dogs >

 

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