Compostable Bags: The Link to More Effective Recycling

By Bonnie Bio

Although 70% of the 2 371 000 tons of plastic waste generated in South Africa each year is collected, only 14% of it (including imported waste) is recycled. This research from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is alarming and the impact of such a low recycling rate is evident in the inability of our landfills to cope. There is room for improvement!

According to Frank McDouall, founder of Bonnie Bio, not all waste that ends up in landfill, can be recycled. Materials like plastic, paper, glass and tins etc. that are contaminated by food (organic waste) don’t get recycled, causing it to take up unnecessary space at landfills.

Organic waste contaminates recyclable materials

“Although this issue is widely overlooked, organic waste is one of the biggest challenges to recycling. At domestic levels this is the food scraps and leftovers at the bottom of containers,” says McDouall. Organic waste contaminates (or dirties) recyclable materials in your bins.

“Cleaning before recycling can come at a cost which means that the process is no longer economically viable for recycling service providers. If this is the case recyclers often pack it up and send it to landfill which in essence is pollution.” 

Pollution is the issue: We all need to get better at recycling to deal with it

“We all, households and industry, need to help make recycling simpler, better and easier,” says McDouall. “Only one out of every 10 tons of plastic waste is being recycled, with nine tons ending up as pollution. The only way to overcome this challenge is to get more participation. We cannot rely, solely, on our waste removal services.”

Collect organic waste in a compostable bag so it doesn’t contaminate your bin

McDouall says that one of the most effective things everyone can do is to stop throwing organic waste into bins where it can contaminate recyclable materials. “Isolate your organic waste in a separate compostable bag.”

“If you can’t compost organic material at home, the bag and organic waste contents can be processed by taking it to a recycling facility or having it collected by waste management services that are linked to a commercial composting facility.  Using a compostable bag is certainly going to assist in diverting organic waste from landfill,” he says.

Compostable bags will compost on the landfill

“In the unfortunate event that the compostable bag containing the organic waste does not get diverted from landfill, the bag with contents will decompose and nature will process it,” says McDouall.

“In optimal conditions, the bags compost to nothing within 15 days. At worst, within three months.” Had a traditional plastic bag been used, the bag and contents would remain in the landfill for many years to come, adding to our pollution crisis.

A separate organic waste stream is required

When it comes to recycling, people usually focus on plastic, glass, paper and tin, without giving organic waste a thought. “This needs to change,” says McDouall. “Having an understanding of how to enhance the effectiveness of recycling, and the tools to do it, is crucial to looking after our communities.”

“With government prohibitions and restrictions on organic waste to landfill, we need to work together. We can assist waste removal services and recyclers (formal and informal) by keeping organic waste in compostable bags.” says McDouall.

Bonnie Bio bags are certified home compostable, meaning 90% of the item breaks down in 90 days with no toxins leaching into the environment. They are available at most retailers nationally.