Engineering an Eco-Friendly World: Biodegradable Trash Bags
- engineering4impact
- Jul 27, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 11, 2025
National Geographic reports that over 40% of plastic products are thrown away after just one use. The US Environmental Protection Agency points out that around 25% of compostable materials are rejected by facilities because they are mixed with small plastics like bags or liners. In 2018, 146.1 million tons of waste ended up in landfills, with plastics making up 18.46% of that total (EPA). What does this mean? The data shows that single-use plastics and their increasing presence is a big problem. Plus, it's widely known that plastics don’t break down in landfills. One way to help tackle this issue is by using eco-friendly trash bags, which is what this post is all about.
The History
In the 1950s, Harry Wasylyk and Larry Hansen made the first polyethylene garbage bag intended for commercial use (Plastno). The rights were sold to the company now known as Glad, and the use of plastic trash bags have skyrocketed, becoming a staple in businesses as well as homes. In 1971, Dr. James Guillet made the first eco-friendly trash bag, which would decompose in sunlight (Elka). Overtime, the material used for biodegradable trash bags would vary, eventually getting to PLA (polylactic acid) and PBAT (polybutyrate adipate terephthalate) that is used today.
Materials Science - PLA and PBAT
Crucial for engineering is materials science, knowing the ins and outs of different materials that can be used for the output. Here, we will briefly discuss PLA and PBAT.
PLA and PBAT are as excellent alternatives to traditional plastic trash bags due to their biodegradability and beneficial properties. PLA, a polymer derived from starch (such as corn), is heat-resistant and can be transparent. Although it may take several months to a few years to break down, regular plastics can take decades. PBAT, a copolymer made from petroleum-based materials, is stronger, more flexible, and more resistant than PLA, while also being biodegradable. As a result, the combination of PLA and PBAT offers reusability, strength, specific properties like heat resistance, and significant biodegradability, making it an ideal material for eco-friendly trash bags.
Innovation includes Improvement
When we think about innovation, we often picture original ideas. However, the most significant innovations that change the world are often improvements on previous inventions. For example, the iPhone built on the IBM Simon by offering a more user-friendly interface. The development of the airplane was a gradual journey, and we all know the story of the Wright Brothers. Similarly, the eco-friendly trash bag progressed from Guillet's photodegradable design to a blend of PLA and PBAT used in biodegradable bags today.
While these insights might appear obvious, it's important to recognize the impact of transformative innovations. This shows that engineers don't always have the most groundbreaking or original ideas—just look at the 47 different iPhone models. Instead, they focus on taking the next best step and are dedicated and humble enough to make that step a reality. This also applies to entrepreneurs and businesses as well, which is the topic of our next section.
Will it Work - Business Insights
The biggest question is indeed whether the eco-friendly trash bag will be a success. Although the eco-friendly market is growing, including 177 million shoppers, the widespread use of plastic trash bags and the success of industrial giants like Glad make it difficult to achieve the same level of commercial success for the biodegradable trash bag. However, the global market for PLA and PBAT is growing, and states like California have issued bans on single use plastics, showcasing that there is still hope for the success of eco-friendly products.
The largest issue is the price of eco-friendly trash bags, or eco-friendly products in general. Replacing conventional plastic bags with biodegradable bags is not cheap, as sustainable products are on average 75-85% more expensive than their regular counterparts. This is seen with trash bags as well, as it is easy to find plastic garbage bags, especially in bulk, for a penny apiece, while the average sustainable bag costs $0.20 or more due to material and manufacturing costs. The cheaper sustainable bags include bags from Green Paper Products at $0.15 apiece. They also specialize in other eco-friendly products such as cups and food containers.
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