Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] market supplies: plastic bags, berry baskets, etc.

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] market supplies: plastic bags, berry baskets, etc.
  • Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 10:08:49 -0400


On May 14, 2009, at 9:46 AM, Marty Kraft wrote:

When a boidegradable bag biodegrades what does it biodegrade into and
where does it go?

That is a very good question. Not everything claimed to be "biodegradable" actually is; at least, not in the sense of breaking down entirely to naturally-occuring substances, none of which are toxic. Some "biodegradable" plastic mulches, for instance, are not acceptable for organic production; either because the results of the breakdown do include toxins, or because the plastic does not actually degrade in any remotely reasonable length of time, but just comes apart into flakes that are too small to interfere with later farming operations, but whose long term effect on soil life are unknown.

I don't know whether studies are available on any of the bags people on the list have referred to. Did anyone investigate these? I'd be interested in links to the studies, if they are available.

-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page