Biodegradable packaging

Polybags' range of biodegradable packaging is designed to get the job done whilst reducing the impact on the environment.

We stock two main types of biodegradable packaging - compostable bags and bio-additive bags - both of which offer a green alternative to regular polythene by breaking down into environmentally-benign products after they are disposed of correctly.

To find out more about either type of biodegradable packaging - and Polybags' other eco-friendly product ranges - please select from the following options:

Compostable packaging

Polybags' range of compostable bags are derived from natural, renewable resources such as sugar cane, potato starch or other biologically-sourced polymers.

Ideal for collecting food waste, these ultra-green bags are the most eco-friendly packaging that we produce. They are biodegradable and compostable and they conform to EU standard EN13432.

The bags have a shelf-life of approximately six months and, after use, can be disposed of in industrial composting, where they will break down in 10-12 weeks. They are also suitable for home composting, although this process will take longer.

Bio-additive packaging

Polybags also manufacture a range of eco-friendly bags from regular polythene that contains an additive which acts as a catalyst to accelerate the degradation process.

These products have a shelf life of approximately 12 months, after which point they are designed to first degrade into small pieces - triggered by sunlight, heat or mechanical stress - and then biodegrade into natural materials

This process takes somewhere between a few weeks and a matter of months - depending on the disposal environment - rather than decades or centuries, as is the case with regular polythene.

This 'oxo-degradable' packaging is suitable for disposing of in the bin as it will break down in the upper levels of landfill, when exposed to oxygen and mechanical stress. It can be placed in home compost, although it would decompose very slowly and does not meet the requirements for EN13432.