FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Green Genius?
Green Genius makes a line of revolutionary biodegradable plastic products. Our first products, Green Genius biodegradable food bags and trash bags, are the same strength and price of regular trash bags. But unlike their more stubborn cousins that may take a thousand years to biodegrade, Green Genius bags biodegrade under active landfill conditions, typically within 1 to 15 years (ASTM D5511).
How did Green Genius get started?
Click here to read our story.
What products does Green Genius produce?
We currently produce 13 gallon tall kitchen bags, 30 gallon large trash bags, and a full line of sandwich, food storage and freezer bags in all types of closures: single zippers, double zippers and sliders.
Where can I buy Green Genius products?
We're available at retailers across the country. Click here for more information.
How much are Green Genius bags?
Our bags cost the same as national brand trash bags. We don't think you should have to pay more to be "green".
What is biodegradable?
This means that a product can be completely consumed by microorganisms, leaving only natural elements like water, biomass and biogas.
What makes your products biodegradable?
Click here for how our product works.
What do Green Genius bags decompose into?
Our bags will eventually break down into water, biomass (nutrient-rich soil called humus) and biogas (either carbon dioxide or methane).
Are your bags tested or certified to be biodegradable?
Yes. Click here for more information.
Does biodegradable mean that I can toss the bag on the ground and it will disappear?
First off, no one likes litter (and we're pretty sure it's illegal). Second, like any biodegradable product, it must be disposed of properly. Our bags biodegrade when disposed of through regular trash collection.
Are Green Genius food bags and trash bags commercially compostable?
Green Genius food bags and trash bags have not been certified for commercial composting and should not be disposed of in a compost environment. Since well over 95% of all trash bags wind up in landfills, our products have been designed explicitly for landfill environments and have proven their biodegradability using ASTM D5511.
Is Green Genius involved with any environmental organizations?
As a new company, our focus is on helping to clean litter, especially plastic, out of the environment. See our "giving back" page to learn more about our partners. Also, if you would like to get involved, please sign up to become a Treehead.
What is the shelf life of Green Genius products?
Green Genius food bags and trash bags have an unlimited shelf life and are specifically designed to biodegrade only in a microbe-rich environment like an active landfill.
Where are Green Genius products manufactured?
All Green Genius products are proudly made in the USA.
Does biodegradation occur in landfills?
There is a common misperception that biodegradation doesn't occur in landfills. Biodegradation occurs in all landfills, although the rate can differ depending on the type of landfill. Traditional landfills slow the natural biodegradation process down through a containment strategy – an attempt to preserve trash rather than let it biodegrade. Fortunately, there is a new generation of landfills where leachate (landfill liquid) is collected and recirculated which accelerates biodegradation. The benefits of these new landfills are twofold: first, a significant decrease in required landfill space, and second, the production and capture of methane for energy usage (see more on this benefit, below).
What about the methane byproduct?
To start, methane is a natural byproduct of all anaerobic biodegradation, i.e., biodegradation without oxygen (the predominant condition of most active landfills). The amount of methane doesn't change if it biodegrades over a year or over a thousand years. Our products dramatically accelerate the biodegradation process of food bags and trash bags.
Why is this a good thing? Methane happens to be a viable renewable energy source that can be captured and used to generate electricity or used as a fuel. Acceleration of biodegradation and the capture of that methane make it more economically viable. In fact, there are currently 485 methane capture projects in the US that produce 12 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. In addition, the EPA has proposed another 520 methane-capture projects that would generate another 9.5 billion megawatt-hours of electricity, or enough electricity to run 700,000 homes for an entire year!
How does Green Genius fit into the ideal of "zero waste to landfills"?
Green Genius fully supports the ideal of zero waste to landfills, however our mission is based on progress vs perfection, which means finding a solution for the trash that's going to landfills today. Landfills will stop growing only when one of two things happens: (1) we send zero trash to landfills (perfection) or (2) we make better use of the landfills we already have (progress). Since most people have little choice but to send their trash to a landfill, why send a regular plastic bag that will last forever when you can instead send a bag that will biodegrade within 1 to 15 years?
Why are Green Genius trash bags Ridiculously Strong™?
Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic is a superior material for constructing trash bags on a strength to weight basis. Since our bags use the same LLDPE found in almost all trash bags, we are just as strong. The only difference in our bags is that they contain a special organic ingredient that allows them to be digested by microorganisms when placed in an active landfill environment.
Are Green Genius trash bags validated biodegradable?
Green Genius trash bags are the first and only trash bags validated by UL Environment to biodegrade under anaerobic landfill conditions, typically within 1 to 10 years. This sustainability arm of Underwriters Laboratories, a trusted voice in testing and compliance for over a century, has validated our biodegradability under their Environmental Claims Validation program.
How long does it take Green Genius trash bags to biodegrade?
Our testing shows that our bags begin to break down immediately once placed in a microbe-rich environment, like a landfill. While the actual rate of biodegradation will be determined by the specific conditions found in a landfill, most of our bags (including the drawstring!) will biodegrade within 1 to 10 years. Warmer, moister landfills will take less time. Cooler, drier landfills will take more time. In any case, that’s at least 100 times faster than regular plastic bags available today, which may take 1,000 years to biodegrade, if ever.
Do your trash bags contain heavy metals or other dirty ingredients?
No. Based on certification from our suppliers, our materials do not contain any heavy metals, BPA or plasticizers, phthalates, or organohalogen content. In particular, our water-based colorants comply with the CONEG Model Toxic Legislation in regard to metal and heavy metal content.
What is the recycled content of Green Genius trash bags? Of Green Genius cartons?
Our trash bags are made wtih a minimum 40% recycled plastic and our cartons are 100% recycled paperboard.
Why are Green Genius food bags Seriously Sealable™?
Our biodegradable food bags feature world class zippers and patented slider technology with equivalent or better performance as national brands. In addition, the inside seal strength of our bags is greater than 4X that of the outside seal strength, ensuring the food inside is kept airtight and fresh. The only difference between our bags and the bags of leading brands is that Green Genius bags contain a special organic ingredient that allows them to be digested by microbes in an active landfill environment.
Are Green Genius food bags third-party tested to biodegrade?
Green Genius food bags are the first and only food bags in the industry proven to biodegrade under active landfill conditions. Our bags have been tested by an independent, EPA-registered lab using ASTM D5511, the industry standard test for determining biodegradability under landfill conditions.
How long does it take Green Genius food bags to biodegrade?
Microbes that cause biodegradation start to colonize on our bags as soon as they are placed in a microbe‐rich environment, like a landfill. While the actual rate of biodegradation will be determined by the specific conditions found in a landfill, most of our bags (including the zipper and slider closures!) will biodegrade within 2 to 15 years. Warmer, moister landfills will take less time. Cooler, drier landfills will take more time.
Are Green Genius food bags approved by the FDA for food contact?
Yes, Green Genius food bags are FDA approved for food contact.
Do your food bags contain BPA, heavy metals or other “dirty” ingredients?
No. Based on certifications from our suppliers, our materials do not contain BPA, plasticizers, heavy metals, or other potentially harmful plastic additives. Our bags are made 100% from food‐grade LDPE and EcoPure.
What is the recycled content of Green Genius food bags? Of Green Genius cartons?
Our food bags are made with a minimum 15% recycled plastic and our cartons use 100% recycled paperboard.
