Bioplastics
There are many benefits of bioplastics: by making use of biomass (corn starch, among others) we save on fossil fuels, reduce CO2 emissions and contribute to the realization of a circular economy. Bioplastics are used in the packaging, food services, agriculture and horticulture, medicine, consumer electronics and the automotive industries.
Control of plastic waste (i.e. plastic soup) can be largely solved by the use of compostable and biodegradable materials. The remains can be used in the agricultural and horticultural sector. Natural Bag offers bags made of bioplastics that are 100% compostable and biodegradable, certified according to the European standard EN 13432.
Plastic, however, takes a very long time to break down and is very harmful to the environment. Bags made of bioplastics have the basic ingredient granulate made from renewable resources like corn starch, thistles, sugarcane, sugar beet, potato starch and biodegradable polymers (bio-polymers).
An additional advantage of renewable materials for bioplastics is that no oil-based components are used (fossil fuels - basis of regular plastic) and no trees need to be felled. The biomass used is renewable, hence the depletion of resources is not an issue. Because of the short carbon cycle, biomass is characterized as CO2 neutral.
In addition the production process of a bioplastic carrying bag is energy efficient compared to the production of regular plastic or paper bags reducing CO2 emissions. Lower CO2 emissions results in less greenhouse gas; this is important for the effort to prevent and reduce global warming.
The corn used to produce the granules for the bioplastics in our products are not withdrawn from the food chain and is guaranteed not genetically modified (GMM free).
Bioplastics share the same features and benefits as conventional plastics. A bioplastic carrier bag also looks exactly like a traditional carrier bag. Additionally, the bioplastic carrier bag is just as strong and sturdy with the same capacity and tensile strength. The big difference is the environmentally friendly degradation of the waste and CO2 neutral impact of the biomass used. The bags offered by us are 100% compostable. That makes your choice for a bioplastic carrier bag from Natural Bag: naturally bio & logical!
Below you can view a promotional video of the production and research process as well as different applications of bioplastics of one of the most progressive producers of the basic material of bioplastics.
WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY & RESEARCH (WUR)
Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has studied how compostable plastics behave in the current Dutch system for the treatment of GFT (i.e. source separated municipal biowaste). It came to the conclusion that compostable products can be processed well together with GFT. No compostable plastics were found in the final compost. However, conventional fossil (non-compostable) plastics were found.
Link to the WUR research:
Compostable plastics disintegrate fast enough in the current Dutch Biowaste disposal system.
Our bags and sacks are biobased and compostable EN13432 certified that can also be reused at home in the kitchen bin for organic waste. They help to separate more and better the organic waste in households (dual use).
The environmental gains are much less plastic waste, less CO2 emissions, less fossil resource use, in addition to the better separation and collection of green waste, so that this (wet) waste does not have to be incinerated. Our bags and sacks filled with vegetable and fruit residues will enrich the compost.
THE STORY OF PLASTIC
PBS NEWSHOUR - PBS documentary. This documentary takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution. Nvember 28 2019.
PLASTIC WARS
PBS - Frontline documentary. Plastic Industry insiders reveal the truth about plastic recycling. "They never believed it would actually solve the plastic waste problem. Today, it's estimated that no more than 10 percent of plastic produced has ever been recycled". March 31 2020.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/plastic-wars/
PLANET PLASTIC
Rolling Stone Magazine - "How Big Oil and Big Soda kept a global environmental calamity a secret for decades" . March 03 2020.
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/plastic-problem-recycling-myth-big-oil-950957/
HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Fortunately there is good hope for the future by not choosing for fossil plastics as material for carrier bags. Below you can see some fine examples of our environmentally responsible, circulair, biobased plastic bags that are also fully compostable. Do you also join us?
MAASSLUIS SINTERKLAAS 2016
Here you see how the Municipality of Maassluis is in action for the campaign "Maassluis is a gift" by choosing the 100% natural bags of Natural Bag. We are proud that our bags were selected as goody bags and handed out to all of the children and visitors creating a wonderful memory of the official arrival of Sinterklaas in the Netherlands in 2016!
DOKKUM SINTERKLAAS 2017
This year again Sinterklaas (The dutch Santa Claus) has chosen for the compostable bags from Natural Bag, the high quality printing, the fast and timely delivery of the goody-bags brought peace of mind in the hectic preparations of a televised national event in the Netherlands. We are proud to be official partners of Sinterklaas, and to be able to assist to the successful official entrance of Sinterklaas into the Netherlands. 10,000 children will receive a richly filled sustainable goody-bag to celebrate the arrival of Sinterklaas in the beautiful city of Dokkum in Friesland.
.jpg/picture-200?_=15fd5e18e90)
THE HAGUE SINTERKLAAS 2018
Beautiful traditions are there to be maintained. For the third year in a row, the sustainable bags from Natural Bag were used during the Sinterklaas arrival celebration. This time the event was held in Scheveningen and The Hague. Under a bright sun, the well-filled goodie bags were handed out to a large audience of sweet children and their parents. A fine present for all visitors of the happy arrival of Sinterklaas in the country.
