List of Biodegradable, Every Day Products

Biodegradable products or materials are naturally broken down by biological agents, such as bacteria and fungi, into raw materials. The goal of supplementing biodegradable products in your everyday life is to recycle our natural resources and keep the Earth clean and free of growing landfills. According to The Environment Today, not all products that claim to be biodegradable are safe or effective. Some products may produce harmful toxins as they break down while others can take more than 30 years to break down, or cannot break down in landfills. Read product labels and reviews when shopping for biodegradable items to add to your house, office or yard.

A young boy cleaning a floor with paper towels. (Image: Kraig Scarbinsky/Photodisc/Getty Images)

At Home

You most likely use more biodegradable products on a daily basis in your home than you are consciously aware of. Some of these items include food scraps and coffee grounds, paper towels, toilet paper, newspapers, junk mail, paper plates and cups, clothing and towels. The market for biodegradable household goods is growing fast and there are a number of various products currently being released. You can now find biodegradable dish soap, dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, glass and multipurpose cleaners, diapers, pet waste bags, trash bags and eating utensils.

At School and Work

Similar to your home, there are numerous biodegradable products used throughout the majority of schools, from kindergarten to universities, as well as in the average workplace. These items include printer paper, paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, bowls and cups, parts of textbooks and notebooks, paper folders and cardboard boxes. In addition, many school and office supply companies are responding to the growing demand for biodegradable products. According to physorg.com, some companies are now producing biodegradable pens, mechanical pencils, rulers, pencil cases, page protectors and project folders.

In the Garden

It is outside, in your garden or yard, that you may be the most green. Almost all of the waste that comes from your garden or yard is biodegradable, such as weeds, grass and plant clippings, fall leaves, peat pots, plant stakes and plant-based pesticides. Purchase all-natural and organic fertilizers to grow your garden and buy biodegradable lawn trash bags to collect all the waste.