Guide to Earth-Friendly Trash Bags

Earth-friendly garbage bags can be difficult to find and even harder to select. With so many companies eager to "greenwash" their products rather than creating truly earth-friendly materials, it can be a chore to find truly recycled trash bags that are easy on both the planet and the wallet. This guide reviews the top three recycled garbage bag brands.

 Renew

Of the major brands that currently manufacture recycled garbage bags, Renew is the only one that uses entirely recycled material. Of the reclaimed plastic that goes into these super-green trash bags, at least sixty percent is sourced from post-consumer waste-- meaning smaller landfills, less polyethylene pollution, and fewer petrochemicals used for production.

The one drawback of Renew is that the company produces only one size of trash bag, a thirty-three gallon form made for kitchen use. While these extremely earth-friendly trash bags have a great place in the kitchen, they are far from ideal options for yard work, car, or bathroom use.

Seventh Generation

The most well-known name among earth-friendly manufacturers, Seventh Generation creates two sizes of recycled trash bag, both of which contain some new material. The kitchen trash bags by Seventh Generation are limited to only 55% recycled plastic, with only a small fraction of that being post-consumer. This lands America's best-known Green Giant, so to speak, well below some of their competition.

Still, Seventh Generation's earth-friendly trash bags are extremely durable, and it is helpful that two separate sizes are available by the company. The large bags are perfect for disposing of leaves and grass clippings (if, of course, you don't compost them) and they contain a higher percentage of recycled content than the smaller option.

EarthSense

Created using a sixty percent blend of recycled plastic, EarthSense 's recycled garbage bags are especially useful for lawn and garden work. Their large size and impressive durability make them ideal for hauling large amounts of waste or for disposing of autumn leaves. These deep, black garbage bags are so tough that they are ideal to have on hand for a spring cleaning project or a big move.

Unfortunately, like Renew, EarthSense trash bags are available in only one size, which limits their use to a few select applications. Although they are far too large for use in a standard kitchen trash can, Earthsense recycled garbage bags offer a number of other useful applications.

The process of selecting earth-friendly garbage bags doesn't need to be a headache for shoppers. With careful consideration of your needs, preferences, and probable applications, you can easily find the right garbage bag to meet your green family's needs.