The term compostable refers to the material being compatible with the composting process. The European standard EN 13432 defines the characteristics that a finished product must meet in order to be recycled through organic recycling. Compostable means that material A is biodegradable under composting conditions. B,Decomposes completely in one composting cycle. C, there is no toxic effect, and does not release heavy metals exceeding the given value into compost D, with no negative impact on the composting process itself.
What is Compostable Trash Bags ？
Compostable garbage bags are the next level of biodegradable garbage bags.Similarly, refreshing the meaning of compostable (or delving into some lesser-known composting facts if you prefer) is helpful.
According to this Dictionary, compostable is "something that can be used as compost when it decays.Compostable materials can be completely broken down into natural elements, they can also be beneficial to the soil.They also have stricter time limits for doing so.
For something that is legally biodegradable, it must decompose in a "fairly short period of time" (which leaves a lot of room for interpretation, as you might guess), while compostable products must decompose within 12-24 weeks.
Unfortunately, compostable bags still don't look as "green" based on this basic definition. How do compostable trash bags work?
Compostable garbage bags, first of all, must meet certain criteria to be truly considered "compostable".Most commonly, this means meeting three basic provisions of the International standard:
The product must undergo physical decomposition so that it is "not easily distinguishable" from the finished compost product.
Actual biodegradation must be carried out, which means that microbes consume the product at a rate similar to other well-known compostable materials.
The product left behind at the end of the composting process must not damage or reduce plant growth.
Essentially, compostable materials must "meet or exceed 90% of the conversion of carbon into carbon dioxide (CO2) in the material" within a specific time frame (typically 180 days). This means that only 10% will return to the soil as compost, while most will enter our atmosphere as greenhouse gases (yikes).
It's all based on perfect compostableability, using high-temperature industrial composting facilities rather than indoor composting bins that can't, for example, reach such high temperatures.
This perhaps brings us to the most important aspect of compostability: proper disposal. How to dispose of compostable trash bags?
Using a compostable garbage bag doesn't give you the freedom to dispose of it, but you can handle it as you please and still keep it eco-friendly. When you consider that if you are sent to landfill, anaerobic (aka hypoxia) conditions will lead to the release of methane, your green compostable garbage bag is not so "green" — a greenhouse gas with a 100-year warming potential 25 times higher than carbon dioxide.
That said, proper composting of compostable garbage bags (so that it can be aerobicly broken down by naturally occurring microorganisms) is crucial.
Otherwise, it can be said to be worse than a plastic bag.
In other words, compostable bags need five things: microbes, moisture, oxygen, heat, and time. Without these, they either don't break down or release harmful greenhouse gases into the environment.
This is why a waste stream dedicated to this type of waste is necessary
Fortunately, more industrial composting facilities are popping up around the globe, as well as dedicated food and yard bins for curbside pickup.
Alternatively, the best compostable garbage bags can be composted in a backyard compost bin!
As a general rule of thumb, if the internal temperature of a compost pile is between 90° and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (which means it should be at least three feet deep and wide), then complete degradation should occur within 90 days. What are acceptable compostable trash bags?
When it comes to small compostable garbage bags that are actually compostable, there are a few things to be aware of.
Upgrading recycled paper grocery bags or DIY newspaper bin liners may work well – especially if you've properly composted food scraps and other organic compostable items and left with items that are not compostable.
The End
Together we can green our garbage and, if done well, even support the soil.
