How Compostable are Co-op's Carrier Bags?
Back in May of 2021, the Co-op supermarket chain here in the UK rolled out compostable carrier bags across all its stores . As you can see, every bag proudly advertises itself as compostable rather than recyclable plastic. This claim got me thinking, how truely compostable and how truely safe are these bags? For example, are they compostable in household compost piles or only industrial composting units? Are the decomposed remains actually safe for my soil? Safe for my vegetables growing in that soil? Safe for my family eating those vegetables? And safe for the wider environment? So many questions. I began seeking answers by reading the bag itself. If I'm interpreting the 'OK Compost' little symbol properly, with HOME promenently displayed, it seems to indicate you can indeed compost these bags in your home compost pile. Interesting. We will return to this symbol again below, but for now let's look at another. I noticed too this MATER-BI symbol with its clever litt...