Campaigners have long argued that plastic bags, when not properly disposed of, ruin the cityscape, spoil the countryside and damage biodiversity, seas and the coastline.

In England, a law requiring large shops to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags was introduced in 2015 in a bid to significantly reduce the litter that plastic bags can cause, and to encourage their re-use.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

However Avani, a provider of eco-friendly sustainable disposables chose to address plastic pollution through innovative design, rather than wait for a behavioural shift in consumers to arise.

Avani’s ‘eco-bags’ are made from cassava root starch and other natural resins, using no petroleum products. The company states that they are 100% compostable, unlike other biodegradable plastic alternatives, and in case these bags are not disposed of, they are said to ‘disappear’ with the help of macro and micro-organisms under natural conditions.

The bags are safe for consumption by both land and marine animals, and dissolve in less than 150 days when discarded in bodies of water. When dissolved in water, Avani even claims that the water is completely safe for human consumption.

While most prominent in the food sector, the issue of biodegradability in both formulation and packaging is increasingly evident in the personal care sector, fuelled by the proposed ban on microbeads in several developed economies, including the UK.

The future for eco-bags such as those created by Avani is therefore bright, and has potential to drive the development and use of bio-plastics across industries. While the use of plastics bags is far from becoming obsolete, increasingly innovative plastic alternatives are a far better option than non-biodegradable plastics currently in use.