Are dog waste bags the next frontier in plastic reduction policies?

About 43 billion dog waste bags are consumed annually in Europe, according to German eco-friendly products manufacturer The Sustainable People.

In Germany alone, an estimated 4.4 billion bags are used each year – almost twice as many as lightweight plastic carrier bags for fruits and vegetables. While many countries worldwide have taken measures to reduce the environmental impact caused by plastic shopping bags, progress on dog waste bags has been slower and less consistent.

A lack of awareness could be one of the main reasons. “Studies show that littering is mainly determined by convenience, situational circumstances and cultural norms – not by material properties,” Sören Meissner from The Sustainable People tells GlobalPETS.

Waste initiatives

Last October, Berlin launched a campaign called Haufenweisen Kontrollen (meaning ‘lots of inspection’ in German) to remind dog owners to dispose of their bags responsibly as part of its citywide effort to reduce litter. The German city has also raised fines for not picking up after your dog or for not carrying bags, which range from €55 ($64.30) to €10,000 ($11,690.96).

In Massachusetts, the non-profit organization Friends of the Fells launched the “Be Kind” campaign, which introduced disposal stations for dog waste bags in the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a state park.

US cities, like Boulder, Colorado, have also introduced composting programs for dog waste, diverting it from landfills for safe processing into compost for urban landscaping.

Other initiatives around the world include underground dog waste containers in Mississauga, Canada, which collect waste below ground level to keep parks cleaner, and free bag-dispenser programs in parks such as Kilcona Park in Winnipeg, helping increase responsible disposal among dog owners.

Across Europe, cities are also taking diverse approaches to tackling dog waste. In Ireland, the councils of Cork and Dublin run awareness campaigns, along with free dog-waste bag dispensers and educational outreach, encouraging owners to “Bag it and Bin it” in schools and parks.

In Béziers, France, authorities have introduced a new dog DNA database, enabling them to identify and fine owners who fail to pick up after their pets. The initiative seeks to tackle the increasing problem of dog waste, which costs the city around €80,000 ($93,525.89) per year.

The challenge

Cost remains the top reason for the slow adoption of truly biodegradable materials, as they can cost 3 to 4 times more.

The limited shelf life of biodegradable plastic also poses a challenge to manufacturers. Biodegradable dog waste bags are recommended for use within 1 year of the production date due to their degradability.

“They do not dissolve afterward, but become somewhat more brittle or crack-prone over time, depending on environmental factors and storage conditions,” Meissner says.

Greenwashing

Greenwashing is a prominent practice in the industry, with products marketed as “100% plant-based” or “0% fossil” but are not certified. Meissner highlights that these malpractices distort fair competition, mislead consumers and undermine trust in truly sustainable approaches.

Additionally, “biobased” is not always also biodegradable. “In plastics, the term ‘bio’ is used for materials that are either biobased (contain a share of renewable raw materials, regardless of the level of that share), biodegradable, or fulfill both criteria,” he explains.

As a result, a biodegradable plastic produced 100% from petroleum is also referred to as a bioplastic, as is a plastic produced 100% from plant-based components that is not biodegradable.

In addition, some biobased materials are certified only for degradation at high temperatures and will not degrade under natural conditions.

Compromising sustainability

Mixing also compromises sustainability. “Even if the advertised dog waste bags contain plant-based components that are fundamentally degradable, mixing them with polyethylene (PE) does not mean that the PE share is completely degradable,” adds Meissner.

He explains that bacteria and fungi – the natural degraders of organic waste – lack the enzymes needed to biodegrade PE and Bio PE. So when they enter the environment, the material fragments but ultimately remains as microplastic particles.

“Stricter rules for green claims are needed. For example, DIN standard 14021 – which hardly anyone knows/applies — statements such as ‘biodegradable’ should only be made in connection with corresponding certificates,” he adds.

The DIN standard 14021 is an international labeling standard that governs companies’ self- declared environmental claims about their products. This ensures that claims such as “biodegradable,” “recyclable” or “eco-friendly” are accurate, verifiable and not misleading.