James Piper and Robbie Staniforth launched the campaign based on environmental and health and safety concerns.
Pet Impact, which supports the petition, found that there are no 100% plant-based compostable poo bags actually available on the UK market.
Although many compostable poo bags are marketed as ”plant-based”, its research found that it would not be feasible to create a poo bag with less than 50% oil-derived plastic.
On top of this, dog poo itself is not compostable as it may contain worms that cause the disease Toxocariasis.
Industrial composters do not accept dog poo and therefore dog poo bags are sent to landfill or incineration and never achieve their compostable claims.
Piper and Staniforth described such claims as “misleading and a form of greenwashing”.
They said: “We might think that we are making a sustainable choice when we buy compostable items like food waste caddy liners and carrier bags that are made of plant-based material rather than traditional plastic – and we’re usually right.
“But compostable dog poo bags do not break down in the open environment, and they should only be sent for incineration or landfill, we do not believe manufacturers should claim they are compostable or biodegradable.”
Piper and Staniforth are calling for poo bags to instead be made of recycled plastic which would support the recycling industry and has a lower carbon footprint.
According to Imperial College London, recycled plastic can have between a 30% to 80% lower carbon footprint depending on the type of plastic used.
There are 13 million dogs in the UK, with around 36 million bags used every day.
Keep Britain Tidy, which supports the campaign, estimate that 260,000 people leave their poo bags behind.
Talking Rubbish podcast
The Talking Rubbish podcast launched 11 months ago and explains the nuances of recycling and waste to the general public.
The podcast has now sat as the number one “How To” podcast in the UK for 259 consecutive days.
Having soared to popularity, it will today (12 June 2025) relaunch with a new look and style.
The first episode of the relaunch features a takedown of greenwashing, with dog poo bags as a key example of the practice.
Episodes can be listened to on podcast-streaming platforms or on the Talking Rubbish website.
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