Landfill Biodegradable Poop Bags

If you’re a pet parent, you know picking up after your dog is simply part of the job. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to those poop bags after you toss them in the trash? With environmental consciousness on the rise, many people turn to “biodegradable” dog waste bags to make a greener choice. However, not all biodegradable bags are created equal. Two common types you’ll see on shelves are regular biodegradable poop bags and landfill biodegradable poop bags. Here’s what sets them apart—and why you want landfill biodegradable poop bags.

What Does “Biodegradable” Really Mean?

To be biodegradable, a product must be able to break down naturally into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass with the help of microorganisms. But, the word "biodegradable" on a poop bag doesn’t always guarantee a quick or complete return to nature—especially when you consider how pet waste is managed after disposal.

Regular Biodegradable Poop Bags

Most “biodegradable” dog poop bags on the market are designed to break down when exposed to specific environmental conditions: namely, oxygen, heat, moisture, and sunlight. These bags are often made from plant-based plastics (like cornstarch blends) or conventional plastics with additives that help the breakdown process.

The problem? The majority of collected dog waste (and their bags) ends up in landfills. Landfills are sealed, oxygen-deprived environments with little light or moisture, specifically designed to minimize decomposition in order to limit the production of greenhouse gases and contaminated liquid, also known as leachate. As a result, “regular” biodegradable bags that need sunlight and air can sit in landfills for years, sometimes as long as standard plastic bags, because the conditions they require for biodegradation are just not there.

Landfill Biodegradable Poop Bags

Landfill biodegradable poop bags, on the other hand, are engineered for the landfill environment where most pet waste ends up. These bags are typically made from materials treated with special additives that enable the bags to decompose in anaerobic (aka no oxygen) landfill conditions.

Landfill biodegradable poop bags are designed to do the following:

• Break Down Without Sunlight or Oxygen: They don’t rely on sunlight, oxygen, or open-air composting to degrade. Instead, they’re formulated to decompose even in the sealed, compacted environment of a landfill.

• Break Down Completely: While no poop bag disappears instantly, these options break down more quickly and thoroughly than their regular biodegradable counterparts when disposed of in landfill conditions.

• Help Reduce Plastic Waste: By degrading faster, they help decrease the long-term buildup of plastic waste that can linger for centuries.

Making the Right Choice

When choosing a poop bag for your pet and home, it’s important to consider where that bag will actually end up. Unless your community offers a pet waste-specific composting program, which is rare in most areas and non-existent in our area, your bag will almost certainly be landfilled. That’s why landfill biodegradable bags offer a more effective solution for environmentally conscious pet parents.

Our Favorite Brand of Landfill Biodegradable Poop Bags

Both regular and landfill biodegradable bags look like "green" choices, but only landfill biodegradable poop bags are truly designed for how and where most pet waste is disposed. That's why we like GreenLine Pet Supply, makers of the only truly landfill biodegradable poop bags. The Founder, Jennifer, developed an earth-safe additive that allows her poop bags to biodegrade anywhere, especially in a landfill environment.

GreenLine Pet Supply has been around for decades. Jennifer has since worked tirelessly to educate the pet-loving population on the impact of using the wrong bags. We recently partnered with GreenLine Pet Supply to bring you promotions and discounts on these awesome bags - and GreenLine's other really cool upcycled products!

Earth Day 2025 Promotion

April 22nd is Earth Day and April 23-29th is National Scoop the Poop Week! In honor of these earth-friendly holidays, GreenLine Pet Supply is running the following promo:

• Use our Affiliate Link

• Get 20% off your order

• Using code: scooppoop20

• No minimum purchase required

• Unlimited use during the promo period

• May not be combined with other offers

• Valid April 22-29, 2025

Outside of the above promo, you can use the following discount code year-round:

• 10% Off orders

• Code: heartsathome

• Unlimited use, no expiration

• May not be combined with other offers

  
  

Using our affiliate link allows us to earn a small commission for your purchase at no cost to you!

Conscientious Care for Yorktown, Poquoson, Hampton & Newport News Pets

At Hearts at Home Pet Sitting, we try our hardest to support our community in all we do. By educating our clients and encouraging you to choose genuinely landfill biodegradable bags, we're speaking on behalf of our fellow area residents and all who share our planet. We hope you'll help us do the same by sharing this post and spreading the information you learned here. Making the switch to landfill biodegradable bags is a simple step that pet parents can take to help reduce their environmental impact, one walk at a time!

We offer dog walking, pet sitting, and dog hiking adventures. To register your pet(s) or home with us, please complete a new client questionnaire here. Existing clients may request services here. Those outside our service area are encouraged to find a pet sitter near you at the Pet Sitters International or National Association of Professional Pet Sitters websites.

Please visit our website or contact us by email at Hello@HeartsAtHomePetSitting.com or by phone at 757-745-9868 to learn more.