Green isn’t just a buzzword anymore; increasingly, it’s becoming a way of life. We are constantly urged to buy products that have as little an environmental impact as possible.
A plethora of eco-friendly products line the shelves of department stores across the city offering us alternatives to conventional products. We can now add garbage bags to the list of green products hitting the market.
The trend towards using greener forms of garbage bags is apparent in some Canadian cities. Cities like Brampton and Mississauga participate in a weekly curbside organic waste program which requires citizens to use biodegradable bags.
As biodegradable bags are gaining popularity, our Buyer Beware team, Chadd, Sharon, Brea, Michelle, and me, decided that now was as good a time as ever to test out whether or not biodegradable garbage bags were as sturdy as regular garbage bags.
Michelle and Brea organized a focus group. We wanted to find out what Winnipeg consumers considered when purchasing garbage bags, and what they thought of biodegradable bags.
What was interesting was that none of the focus group members were aware that biodegradable garbage bags even existed. As interesting our discovery was, I learned first-hand that it wasn’t that surprising. Most department stores don’t have them on their shelves.
There are very few large biodegradable garbage bags for yard waste sold at retail stores in Winnipeg. I spent three hours scouring 13 different stores before finally stumbling upon biodegradable garbage bags.
It was by far the most frustrating part of the whole project. Frankly, there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than not being able to find the major component of your tests. It’s an adventure I’m glad I don’t have to repeat any time soon.
But I digress.
We conducted tests on five products:
RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste
24” x 30” (61 x 76.2cm) – $4.99 per package of 10 bags
Great Value Ty-Up Flaps Regular Outdoor Bags
26” x 32.5” (66 x 82.5cm) – $4.47 per package of 40 bags
GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags
30” x 33” (76.2 x 83.8cm) – $4.88 per package of 15 bags
Husky Garbage Bags
26” x 36” (60 x 91.4cm) – $9.99 per package of 100 bags
RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags
26” x 32.5” (66 x 82.5cm) – $4.99 per package of 40 bags
The biodegradable product we used was the RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste.
All the other products are conventional garbage bags; however the RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags is a product made from 65 per cent recycled plastic, 20 per cent of which is post-consumer content.
Our first test determined how much weight each bag could handle before ripping. The RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste ranked in last, breaking at 40 lbs.
Our second test determined which bag had the most visible signs of rips and tears after having twigs and branches inserted within them. Once again, the RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste had the poorest showing.
GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags
The last test was a seepage test. We filled each bag with two litres of water and threw the bags roughly 10 feet onto a concrete pavement. We found out that RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste don’t mind taking a beating on the pavement.
Product Testing
Product Name | Tensile Strength* | Tearing Test* | Seepage Test* | Overall Score Total** |
RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
Great Value Ty-Up Flaps Regular Outdoor Bags | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
GLAD ForceFlex Stretchable Strength Easy-Tie Bags | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
Husky Garbage Bags | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 |
RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags | 5 | 4 | 5 | 14 |
*(Ranking: 5=Best; 4=Good; 3=Decent; 2=Bad; 1=Worst)
**(Scored out of a maximum total of 15)
The overall score was determined by adding the scores of all three tests. The maximum score possible is 15. The product with the highest overall score total is the product that is most recommended. Conversely, the product with the lowest overall score is the product that performed the worst.
At the conclusion of our tests, we discovered that the biodegradable product RONA ECO Compostable and 100% Biodegradable Bags for Garden Waste was at the bottom of the table. It can therefore be said that it is not as sturdy as conventional garbage bags.
If the environment is your major concern, the best product was the RONA ECO Recycled Plastic Garbage Bags. It performed the best overall, and because it’s made from recycled materials it is the most eco-friendly of conventional garbage bags.
Last but not least, we decided to celebrate the end of our tests by participating in an unconventional potato sack bag race.
Last but not least, we decided to celebrate the end of our tests by participating in an unconventional potato sack bag race.
Like the New York Dolls once sang: "Trash!"
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