Journal · Waste · Label check
Earth Rated poop bags: recycled plastic vs compostable — what the labels mean
Earth Rated is one of the most recognizable bag brands on the shelf, and the green box makes a lot of people assume “compostable.” The standard bags are not. They are recycled-content plastic — which, for most households, is the more honest claim anyway.
We have no relationship with Earth Rated, and the brand does not run a public affiliate program we belong to. Facts below come from Earth Rated’s own product pages and FAQ, and from public court and settlement records, checked October 5, 2026. Product lines and claims change — read the box you are actually holding. For the general vocabulary, see our biodegradable vs compostable vs recycled bags explainer.
The short version
| Standard Earth Rated bags | Earth Rated Certified Compostable bags | |
|---|---|---|
| Material (per Earth Rated) | 65% certified post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic, 35% virgin HDPE/LLDPE | PBAT plus vegetable starches |
| Claim type | Recycled content (what it is made from) | Compostability (what can happen after use, in the right facility) |
| Certifications cited | PCR content verified through APR’s recycled-content certification program, per Earth Rated | BPI (ASTM D6400), TÜV OK Compost Industrial and Home |
| Compostable? | No | Only where a facility accepts pet waste, or in a dedicated pet-waste home system |
| Where it should go | Trash | A program that accepts pet waste in compostable bags — otherwise trash |
| Availability (Oct 2026) | Earth Rated’s main U.S. line | Listed on Earth Rated’s Canadian store; its U.S. product page no longer loads |
What “65% certified post-consumer recycled plastic” means
Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic is plastic that already had a life — packaging, film, containers — and was collected, cleaned, and reprocessed. Earth Rated says 65% of each standard bag comes from PCR and the other 35% is new (virgin) polyethylene, which is typically added for strength and consistency.
What that claim does well:
- It names a percentage. “Made with recycled material” can mean almost nothing; 65% is specific.
- It cites third-party verification of the recycled content, rather than the brand grading its own homework.
- It reduces new plastic in a product that was always going to be thrown away.
What it does not mean:
- It does not mean compostable. Do not put these bags in a green bin or backyard pile.
- It does not mean biodegradable. It is polyethylene.
- It does not mean recyclable after use. A bag of dog waste is trash, full stop.
Earth Rated also notes that its unscented bags may have a slight smell because of the recycled content — not added fragrance. That is a normal trade-off with PCR film.
The separate Certified Compostable line
Earth Rated has sold a different product, clearly named Certified Compostable Poop Bags. According to its Canadian product page, those bags are a PBAT and vegetable-starch blend, carry BPI certification to ASTM D6400 (industrial composting), and TÜV OK Compost Industrial and Home certification. The product page itself adds two conditions worth taking seriously: verify that your municipal facility accepts pet waste, and if you compost at home, use the result on non-food plants only.
Two details shoppers miss. First, compostable does not mean plant-based: PBAT is a compostable polyester typically made from fossil feedstocks, blended here with starch. Second, the certification describes what the bag does in a managed facility. It says nothing about whether a facility near you will take it — or the dog waste inside.
As of October 2026, the compostable product appears on Earth Rated’s Canadian store, while the equivalent U.S. product page returns “not found.” You may still see older U.S. listings through marketplace sellers. Do not assume a U.S. green roll is the compostable version; read the claim on the box.
The lawsuit, briefly and fairly
In 2021, U.S. buyers filed a class action (Natale et al. v. 9199-4467 Quebec Inc. d/b/a Earth Rated, E.D.N.Y.) alleging that marketing the Certified Compostable bags as “compostable” was misleading, since practical composting options for pet waste are rare. Earth Rated maintained the products are compostable and denied wrongdoing. The court did not decide who was right; the parties settled for $825,000, covering U.S. purchases from October 28, 2015 through June 13, 2024. The claim deadline (December 9, 2024) has passed. A separate proposed class action has been filed in Canada over the same compostable line.
The takeaway is not “Earth Rated bad.” It is that a certified compostable label and a usable composting route are two different things — exactly the gap the U.S. FTC Green Guides warn marketers about.
Municipal compost reality for pet waste
This is the part no bag can fix. Dog feces can carry parasites (such as roundworm) and bacteria that many composting operations do not want near finished compost sold for gardens. As a result:
- Many city green-bin and food-scrap programs explicitly exclude pet waste.
- Some facilities exclude compostable plastic bags of any kind, certified or not, because they are hard to tell apart from regular plastic on a sorting line.
- A handful of programs and private services do accept pet waste — usually with their own bag rules.
- Backyard compost piles rarely get hot enough, long enough, to be a reliable pathogen kill. Dedicated pet-waste digesters exist; keep them away from vegetable beds and water.
How to check in two minutes: search your city or hauler’s name plus “compost accepted items.” If pet waste is not explicitly listed as accepted, it is not accepted. If it is, follow their bag rules exactly.
And please do not flush any bag, compostable or otherwise, or leave a tied bag on the trail “to biodegrade.” The dog waste field guide covers the full picture.
So which should you buy?
| Your situation | Honest pick |
|---|---|
| Your bagged dog waste goes in the trash (most households) | A recycled-content bag with a stated percentage — Earth Rated’s standard bag fits that description |
| Your city or hauler explicitly accepts pet waste in certified compostable bags | A BPI-certified compostable bag that meets their rules, disposed of only through that program |
| You run a dedicated pet-waste composting system | A home-compost-certified bag, with compost kept away from food plants |
| The box only says “biodegradable” with no standard named | Skip it — that word alone tells you nothing |
Whatever you pick, the bigger savings are boring: one bag per pickup, no double bagging, no scented bags, and a dispenser you keep instead of replacing. Our Start here kit treats bags as one swap among five.
Common questions
Are Earth Rated poop bags compostable?
The standard Earth Rated bags are not. Earth Rated says they are made from 65% certified post-consumer recycled plastic and 35% virgin plastic (HDPE and LLDPE). That is a recycled-content claim. They belong in the trash, not a compost bin. Earth Rated has sold a separate, differently named Certified Compostable line.
Are Earth Rated bags biodegradable?
The standard bags are recycled-content polyethylene. Earth Rated does not market them as biodegradable, and you should not treat them that way. Polyethylene in a landfill does not meaningfully break down on a human timescale.
What is the Earth Rated Certified Compostable bag made of?
Per Earth Rated’s Canadian product page, a blend of PBAT and vegetable starches, BPI-certified compostable (ASTM D6400) and TÜV OK Compost Industrial and Home certified. The label itself tells buyers to verify that their municipal facility accepts pet waste, and to use home compost only on non-food plants.
Can I put dog poop in my city’s green bin?
Usually not. Many municipal compost programs do not accept pet waste because of parasites and pathogens, and some refuse compostable plastic bags of any kind. Check your city’s accepted-items list. If pet waste is not named as accepted, it goes in the trash.
Which Earth Rated bag should I buy?
If your waste goes to landfill or incineration — true for most people — the standard recycled-content bag is the honest choice. Buy certified compostable bags only if a program near you explicitly accepts pet waste in compostable bags, or you run a dedicated pet-waste composting system kept away from food plants.
What was the Earth Rated compostable bag lawsuit about?
In a U.S. class action (Natale v. Earth Rated, E.D.N.Y.), plaintiffs alleged that marketing the Certified Compostable bags as compostable misled buyers, given how few facilities accept pet waste. Earth Rated denied wrongdoing, the court did not rule on the merits, and the case settled for $825,000 covering U.S. purchases from October 28, 2015 to June 13, 2024. The claim deadline has passed.