Earth Rated Degradable Easy Tie Handle Bags

FAQs from Earth Rated Website:

What is our Mission? 
Earth Rated® is on a mission to keep your household, your neighbourhood and even the planet clean from the messes and dirt left behind by our pets. That’s why we design innovative products and provide the support pet owners need to make the chore of cleaning up after our four-legged friends easier and a little less unpleasant.

Are your products Cruelty-Free?
At Earth Rated®, we do not test any of our products on animals. As a team of pet owners and animal lovers, there is no need for animal testing to make our products, nor would we support this type of production model.

Are your bags compostable?
We offer our white-coloured, certified compostable bags that are approved by The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). These bags are vegetable starch-based, unscented, and meet the ASTM D6400 and EN13432 guidelines. Waste bags that contain animal waste typically cannot be composted in many municipal facilities and we suggest to verify with your municipality for details.

Are your bags biodegradable?
We strive to ensure we continue to make a fun and affordable alternative to the traditional plastic grocery bag.

Our green-coloured bags contain an EPI additive which helps them to break down, unlike traditional plastic bags. A similar technology is used in most dog waste bags labelled as “biodegradable” however, due to the updated U.S. Federal Trade Commission regulations, as applied to our industry regarding biodegradable labelling standards, we are unaware of any bag manufacturer that meets the requirements for biodegradable dog waste bags that ensure degradation in a landfill environment within the one year time frame required by the FTC.

What is your box packaging made from?
All of our packaging for our bag line is made from recycled materials, and we use recycled paper cores for the rolls instead of plastic ones. In addition, our packaging and cores can be recycled after use.

Where does the lavender scent for your bags come from?
The scent used in our bags is sourced from natural essential oils derived from various fruits, plants and falls within Class 1 certification from The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) due to it making up less than 1% of our bag ingredient panel.

Do you offer any larger bags for bigger messes?
While our standard bags are extra-long and extra-strong, we recognise that some dogs don’t give us a choice in requiring an even larger format! Our handle bags also open extra wide to clean up bigger messes, and they can readily accommodate kitty litter and litter scoops. In addition, the ease of tying and untying these bags makes them ideal for multi-dog households with multiple poops!

How should your bags be stored?
We don’t want you getting poop on your hands, so here are some tips to avoid this! 

• Store in bags in a cooler, darker area of the home to avoid direct sunlight and humid places.
• Do not keep bags for more than 1-2 years from the time of purchase.
• If purchasing many boxes at one time, please ensure to use the oldest boxes first.

How should I dispose of my bag? Are your bags flushable?
Our infographic does a great job at explaining how to be a responsible dog owner and why picking up after our pets is important. All bags containing poop should be disposed of in trash bins, not flushed or left on the ground. Contrary to popular belief, a good rainfall doesn’t make dog poop just disappear. It’s washed into storm drains with the rest of the rainwater, which unlike water in the sewer system, isn’t treated before being released into our lakes, streams and rivers.

I am having trouble opening the bags, why is this?
Dry fingertips can sometimes make it harder to pull the bag open, especially in colder temperatures. We want to ensure our bags make picking up after pets as easy as possible. Should you have trouble opening them we suggest pinching the top of the bag to separate the sides, or perhaps try our handle bags with a wider opening.

Can you mark the last bag so I know when the roll is going to end?
We’ve actually had a few inquiries from customers regarding this and are pleased to say that we have added an indicator towards the end of our larger 300-count rolls to advise that you are running low and are currently working on a way to add this to our smaller rolls as well.

Where are your bags manufactured?
Our present manufacturing process is based in China. Our factory abides by strict quality control guidelines and we have a great team of people that oversee every part of our production and ensure a high level of quality control!