Oxo-biodegradable are conventional plastic bags which have an additive (usually small amounts of metal salts) that help speed up the degradation process. Oxo-biodegradable bags are not compostable. Neither Oxo-biodegradable plastic bags nor bioplastic bags will degrade in the landfill, as they must be in the presence of both sunlight and oxygen. Cycle Dog chooses to use bioplastic bags made from corn/plant starches, which are a sustainable resource. Unlike oxo-biodegradable plastics, bioplastics generally do not produce a net increase in carbon dioxide gas when they break down.

Cycle Dog Earth Friendly Pickup Bag are made from corn & plant starches! Recently, the state of California changed their packaging laws requiring that anything stating 'Biodegradable' must also be compostable. The compostable standard is quite interesting as it requires products to degrade under ASTM6400 standards, which states products must be "compostable in industrial composting facilities". These same industrial composters state that pet waste is not allowed in their facilities. Thus, a bag that meets ASTM6400 compostable standards can never be composted if it's contains pet waste! Our bags are not compostable; we cannot state biodegradable on the outside of the package without breaking this CA law.