Biodegradable shopping bags are made entirely of organic materials, 98% of which are corn starch. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
Several Australian states will ban the use of disposable plastic bags from July 1. South Australia is experimenting with a biodegradable light shopping bag made of corn starch in two supermarkets in the state amid a surge of "no-plastic" waves.
Wood (Shani Wood), from (City of Holdfast Bay) in Hofang Bay, said the bags were made in Japan and were made of organic materials, 98 percent of which were corn starch, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
According to Wood, these bags can be dumped into green bins of organic waste. They will become compost instead of being thrown into the garbage can and then into the landfill.
Even if handled improperly, the bags can be discharged into the sewers. Even if aquatic creatures eat them, there is no harm.
Wood says prices will be a big obstacle to the promotion of biodegradable bags. The bags, piloted at Foodland supermarkets in (Brighton) and Grael (Glenelg) in Brighton, are 10 times more expensive to produce than normal bags. "however, if more and more supermarkets and organizations join the ranks of biodegradable bags, costs will be kept low."
Foodland supermarkets in Brighton and Grael are experimenting with biodegradable shopping bags. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
As early as 2009, South Australia had banned large supermarkets from offering disposable plastic bags. Retailers have since sold thick plastic bags and reusable plastic bags for 15 cents each and introduced a "green bag" made of polypropylene for A $2.
But while thick plastic bags are greener than disposable plastic bags, at least for shoppers at Aldi supermarkets, says Terrie-Ann Johnson, chief executive of clean Australia's (Clean Up Australia), a non-profit environmental group. Many people do not reuse them and tend to use them as garbage bags. The bags will eventually be transported to the landfill.