Is Your Dog’s Poop Bag Really Eco-friendly?
Surprise! The story of poop bags rarely ends in compost.
Hello folks,
I’m in the final days of working with Elections Canada right now, and up to my ears in ballots and EC minutae. In the meantime, enjoy my article about “compostable” dog poop bags, just published by our good friends at Asparagus Magazine.
By Barry Rueger
Published: Asparagus Magazine
April 4, 2025
The story of compostable dog-poop bags is complicated—as is the story of dog-poop disposal in general.
According to some accounts, the idea of a small bag that could be used to pick up dog poop dates back to 1986, when Californian businessman Chris Crosson created the first dog-poop bag. Another claim dates it to the early 20th century, when Teddy Roosevelt got tired of cleaning up his dog’s droppings and instead would carry a pocket-sized bag for that purpose.
Regardless of who had the idea first, over the past 100 years it has been almost universally accepted that every dog owner should collect their pet’s waste. More controversial is the question of how that waste should be disposed of.