Apex introduces biodegradable shopping bags

Dhaka : Apex Footwear has begun replacing conventional plastic shopping bags with biodegradable alternatives as the footwear retailer steps up efforts to reduce its environmental footprint.

The new bags are made from bio-resin derived from corn starch and contain no polyethylene or polystyrene, materials commonly found in conventional plastic packaging. Apex said the bags were tested by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), with the tests indicating that they can fully biodegrade within seven months without leaving harmful residues. Apex alone uses about 700,000 shopping bags every month.