The bag that the next issue of the BCMJ will be mailed in is biodegradable. The bags are made of the same plastic resin that most polyethylene or polypropylene bags are made of, but is combin­ed with a compound (made by ECM Biofilms, Microtech Re­search) that makes the plastic bio­degrade. 

The plastic has the same strength and durability of other bags, but when disposed of is metabolized into inert biomass by the microorganisms found in landfills. Unlike other plastics that need sunlight to degrade, these plastic bags will degrade in  darkness, in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. 

In addition, the end products of bio­degradation are safe for soil-dwelling organisms (such as earth­worms), plants, and the water supply in general. Go to www.ecmbiofilms.com [8] for details, or www.ecmbiofilms.com/report.pdf [9] for the full ecological assessment.