GreenYour.com

Much attention has been placed on the ill-effects of plastic shopping bags and how consumers can make adjustments for the better. With all this shopping going on, it's easy to forget about another kind of bag: ones used for pet poop scooping. Although pet clean up isn't on everyone's brain, a simple act like using biodegradable pet waste bags shouldn't be a number two priority—it's an easy way to ensure waste decomposes faster and harmful plastics are kept out of landfills.

Find it! Biodegradable pet waste bags

Choosing biodegradable pet waste bags helps you go green because…

• They don't prevent your pet's waste from decomposing in landfills.
• They prevent water contamination from bacteria in pet waste.
• They can decompose rapidly, without leaving behind toxins from plastic.

In the US, the dog waste produced every year can cover a space the size of a football field 800 feet high.[1] Unscooped, this poop is a significant contributer to bacteria, such as E. coli, in oceans and waterways. Dog waste alone can contribute 20 percent to 30 percent of bacterial pollution in affected streams.[2]

Most pet waste that is sent to landfills is encased in petroleum-based polyethylene (PE) bags, which can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Biodegradable pet waste bags decompose much faster than PE (polyethylene) plastic bags. However, biodegradable bags won't decompose if disposed of inside a non-biodegradable bag. Dispose of the biodegradable bag and the waste curbside with other biodegradable yard waste, bury it in your backyard, or compost it yourself.

External links

• Poop Detective
• Biodegradable Products Institute