Why Compostable bags, not Plastic?

First of all, what are compostable bags?

Compostable bags are mainly made of plant based materials, such as corn or potato starch. They are natural materials that will decompose back to nature in a matter of weeks. On the other hand, plastic is made from petroleum chemicals and other fossil fuels. It can take hundreds of years to break down. 
 
Humans have been using plastic for more than a century, it is widely used due to its strong, lightweight and versatile characteristics. It is designed to last, however, many of them are disposable, roughly half of the plastic production annually is for single-use products. They are estimated to only have a short lifespan and end up in landfill or get blown into our ocean. 
 
When plastic waste is not managed properly, animals become entangled in them or mistake them for food. It is not only threatening wildlife, it also poisons our food chain and groundwater that affects human health which may lead to cancer or birth defects.
 
The plant based compostable bags are not as durable as plastic bags, but they perform relatively the same and meet the purpose of a wide range of single-use products. It may not replace plastic or fix the plastic pollution in the world, we do believe compostable material is a more environmentally friendly option than plastic at the moment.

 

Reference

Image 1:  Shot by Aldo Delara @okvisuals