Strength of starch based bags - the facts

Recently there have been circulated many unsolicited emails suggesting that MaterBi bags leak. The email selectively quotes from a report commissioned by the City of Orillia and gives a misleading impression.

The truth about BioFilm® Bags (BioBag® overseas) is that they are used by millions everyday in hundreds, if not thousands of communities with a very high level of satisfaction. Retail customers swear by them and recommend them to friends.

This extract from an email received on 10th October gives the true reaction of users:

The slagging that has been going around has not deterred my understanding of your product at all.

I have been using the kitchen tidy bags at home for 18 months now. Believe it or not I am not the worlds best recycler. I started using the biobags as a pre-test to better understand a product that I thought might find it's way into Council's composting operations one day. I have found that the claims of operational strength duration and odour suppression are understated.

Being DINK's... your bags often sit on our kitchen sink with all sorts of food in them for up to 5 weeks. I then pick the bag out, carry it through the house, out the front door, down 14 steps and over to our home composting bin. When I get a particularly crappy or old bag, I give it a shake over the big to see if it will break. For normal handling purposes I have never had a bag break or spill a drop. It amazes me that a half tomato up against the side of the bag will go almost see through and the bag still holds.

I'll continue to use the heap of bags I have left because it is the easiest way to handle our kitchen wets.

After one turn in a neglected home compost bin, the bags are gone.

The only thing stopping me from jumping at supporting this product is some State Government legislation banning plastic bags and getting the retail giants on board. (South Australian Environmental Officer)

Click here to see the full Orillia report.