biodegradable plastic, ladies and gentlemen!!!

Philippines
March 15, 2009 3:29pm CST
after i went to the mall, i noticed something on my plastic bags that made me do a double take... it said on the plastic bags that they were "100% biodegradable." whoa! i feel like i'm so not in the know! we've been successful at discovering how to make biodegradable plastic?! to my fellow filipinos, i'm referring to SM's red plastic bags. i got mine from the grocery. have you noticed it? how about people from other countries? have you noticed any of your plastic bags to be biodegradable?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@benny128 (3615)
15 Mar 09
hiya here in uk I been using bio-degradable bags etc etc for as long as i can remember. Or we have green bags which are like bags that are made out of a canvas type material that you keep re-using, Tho no expert but I think even bio-degradable plastic bags take 5-10 years to de-compose tho could be wrong on that.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
15 Mar 09
I'm not sure on that either, but I would think so too. I don't do the shopping around here, but when I do get to be the shopper, you betcha bottom dollar I'm going to be frugal and environmental with reusable bags!
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
16 Mar 09
5-10 years to decompose? That's a long time. Next time they probably come up with bio-degradable coffin. After all, flesh and blood takes much shorter time to decompose.
@sandymay48 (2030)
• Canada
15 Mar 09
Here where I live on the east coast of canada, some stores are going to start charging 5cents a bag for plastic bags. They are supposed to be a thicker stronger bag though. THey say that its because the landfills are clogged with plastic..well, how is that the case if they are biodegradable? IS this 5 cent a bag thing just another money grab for the stores?
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
the plastic we used long ago was definitely not very biodegradable as it takes many many years for them to decompose... but maybe they've come up with new plastic, one that's more biodegradable. :D as to the 5 cent bags, i can't say if it's a scam because i don't know the circumstances and we don't have it here in the philippines.. ^_^
• Canada
16 Mar 09
I just heard on the news that a major competitor in the supermarket world, is going to give money for people who reuse plastic bags..Quite the opposite approach from paying for them
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
15 Mar 09
Not sure about America. Even so I think it'd be better to use bags that are not plastic and that you don't throw away so as to save the environment - and sometimes save money too. I know of a store that you can save 0.5 per bag on if you use your own bags. It's cool, and I really like the idea.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
17 Mar 09
More stores then the one I mentioned is starting to do that. Actually I don't thin the store I'm talking about offers bags for the store, although I think I've seen one before. Now here they aren't that expensive but at the same time if you want to get 10 of them it adds up $10.00 for 10 bags basically at most stores.
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
yep, that's definitely a good idea. i think they're starting to develop that concept here as well. the bags are expensive though for people who belong to the lower rungs of society... :( but others who can afford it get the bags and the discounts that come with. :)
@mariposaman (2959)
• Canada
16 Mar 09
It depends on what they mean by biodegradable. Plastic takes 1000 years to decompose so someone came up with the bright idea of mixing it with some biodegradable binder which broke down under sunlight. The only problem is the plastic is stll there, except in teeny pieces. The only really biodegradable is soy plastic I think, and I doubt it can be cheap enough for free shopping bags. I stand to be corrected on this.
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
oh, no way... so it's not even "genuine" biodegradable plastic, in case it's the type with the binder. :( i wonder if the biodegradable plastic we have here is that type. or perhaps the soy type... but if the soy plastic is indeed expensive, i also doubt that we can afford it lol ^_^
@suzzy3 (8342)
15 Mar 09
Yes we have biodegradable plastic swing bin liners in England I don't think we have the same in carrier bags yet.We are enoouraged to take proper shopping bags when we go shopping know and some stores have stopped handing out plastic carrier bags anymore, so if you forget your bags you have had it and have to leave your shopping behind.Brilliant idea it is about time.
@modstar (9605)
• Philippines
19 Mar 09
It's not really just about shoplifting. It's also for everybody's safety against terror attacks. You know what i mean, i've read somewhere here that the word b*** is being filtered here.
• Philippines
19 Mar 09
ah yes, there's that b*** threat too. so the bring-your-own-bag idea is kinda difficult to execute here... :(
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
that's a really pro-active way of minimizing plastic use! if they do it here in the philippines though, i can imagine how many people are going to freak, as people here will hesitate to use bags that they have to buy lol ^_^ but there will always be the others who will think of the environment and who will buy P60 bags. unfortunately, some people in my country can't even afford 5 cans of sardines, much less a reusable bag... :/ there's this weird thing in our grocery stores as well. they want us to deposit all our bags before we enter. bringing bags into the grocery store is considered "risky" as there will be people who will shoplift a lot. i guess my country's very much behind in the campaign to save the earth... :(
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
15 Mar 09
My country had been using these kinds of biodegradable plastic bags for few years. l ever used it for packing some of my household things to be kept inside the store-room. But, after a few months, it started to break, so l had to change the plastic bags again. lt's suitable for recycle but not suitable for reuse because not lasting.
• Philippines
16 Mar 09
perhaps the biodegradable plastic is meant for people who carelessly and mindlessly dispose of plastic a whole lot... :( my country has been having problems with recycling, so perhaps the biodegradable plastic idea may work temporarily while the country tries to strengthen its recycling capacities... ^_^
16 Mar 09
Hi Sanmdra, No we haven't got that written on our bags or H ave not notice, must have a look next time. Tamara
@vzihan (145)
• China
16 Mar 09
Well,in my country,if you do not take your bags in the supermarket,you must buy the bags,but it is really cheap.Now many people take bags themselves to shopping and the using of plastic bags is decreasing a lot.