Paper Dog Poop Bags and other Environmentally Friendly Dog Poop Bag Alternatives

Dog poop is unpleasant to say the least. It’s unsightly and smelly; it harbors dangerous pathogens capable of spreading disease and can really ruin your day when it ends up on the bottom of your shoe!

If you’re a responsible dog owner, you bring your trusty poop bags with you everywhere you go and you pick-up after your dog. You think you’re doing the right thing, but in reality, most doggy poop bags on the market today have serious long-term negative implications for the environment.

PAPER DOG POOP BAGS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DOG POOP BAG ALTERNATIVES – heydjangles.com – eco friendly dog products, doggy doo bags, biodegradable and compostable, sustainable living ideas, green eco friendly plastic alternatives. #ecofriendlyliving #ecofriendlydog #sustainableliving

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We all know plastic is bad for the environment and takes hundreds of years to decompose, but did you know that many dog poop bags on the market today that claim to be “biodegradable” don’t actually decompose when disposed of in landfill? Shocking right?!

It’s because “biodegradable” plastic dog poop bags require the proper conditions to actually break down (mainly oxygen). They don’t get that in landfill. Many of these bags aren’t compostable either. Meaning that, when they eventually do break down (which can take years), they don’t break down completely, leaving lots of little nasty bits of plastic behind.

So what’s the solution?

There are a few:

1. Paper-based options

Above via K9 Clean

Image source: Reusable Nation

  • Or DIY your own poop bags from newspaper (check out this neat tutorial from Reusable Nation).

2. Vegetable-based options

Eco-Friendly Dog Poop Bag Alternatives  - feat.  My AlphaPet Compostable Dog Poop Bags, Cornstarch Eco-Friendly, Highest EN1342 Certified, 120 Count, Large Size Bag 9x13 Inches, 8 Unscented Refill Rolls, Leak-Proof, Plantbased, GM-Free Corn

Image source: My Alpha Pet/Amazon

Eco-Friendly Dog Poop Bag Alternatives  - feat.  100% Certified Home Compostable Dog Poop Bags - 10% to Charity - ASTM D6400 & EN 13432 Compliant Dog Waste Bags - 120 Bags - 8 x Rolls of Plant Based Compostable Poop Bags - Thick Doggie Poop Bags

Image source: G.A.S./Amazon

Eco-Friendly Dog Poop Bag Alternatives  - feat.  Doggy Do Good Poop Bags | Dog Waste Bags | Unscented, 38% Vegetable-Based, Thick & Leak Proof, Easy Open | Standard Size | 60 Count

Image source: Doggy Do Good/Amazon

Also, because they’re vegetable-based, they breakdown completely in landfill in around 3 months and don’t leave any little nasty bits of plastic behind. 

Look for terms such as “100% compostable”, “corn starch” and, “vegetable-based” on the pack.

For more info about the differences between “biodegradeable”, “degradeable” and “compostable” poo bags, check out the super-helpful infographic from Alpha Pets below;

3. Pet waste composting kits

Eco-Friendly Dog Poop Bag Alternatives  - feat.  Doggie Dooley "The Original In-Ground Dog Waste Disposal System, Black with Green Lid (3800X)

Image source: Doggy Dooley/Amazon

In summary

There are over 900 million dogs on this planet, that’s over 328.5 billion dog poops per year – minimum! If even a small portion of us switched to paper dog poop bags and other truly environmentally friendly dog poop bag alternatives, imagine how much plastic we could save going into landfill.

Seems silly to put organic waste into a plastic bag that can take up to 1000 years to decompose don’t you think?

Consider making the the switch today – I know we will be! 

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*Post thumbnail image – Pooch Paper via Only Natural Pet