Organic waste bags
Our bags are resistant to liquids, holes and rips. They are entirely compostable and bio-digestible within a few days during the process of anaerobic bio-digestion for the production of biogas from organic waste.
Sumus Italia
Sumus Italia: concrete daily gestures against all waste
September 29, 2020 marks the first International Day of Awareness on Food Waste and Loss.
For many years Sumus Italia has been working hard, with the one million families that use our products every day, in the fight against all waste. We only use recycled material to reduce the use of virgin resources.
We reduce the production of “useless” organic waste at the origin thanks to patents on bags that take advantage of natural evapotranspiration.
We minimize foreign materials trying to always achieve the maximum purity of organic or paper waste.
We reduce the cost of collection and processing along the chain to increase the actual recovery of matter From today we will do something more.
Aware that a nice gesture for a single day a year is not enough, from now on all new productions will appear invitations and instructions to increase the awareness of individual citizens to reduce all waste and in particular food waste.
Mahatma Gandhi said: “Waste is a resource in the wrong place.”
Food waste is perhaps the most immoral waste.
Who we are
Sumus Italia S.R.L. was founded in 2013.
Some of the founders were already involved in the first entrepreneurial initiative since 2005, which was already focused on the research of new solutions for the collection of organic waste with recycled paper bags. The Cartiera di Galliera and Lineapack S.R.L di Chinello (the inventor of the patented method) are the majority shareholders, providing the raw material (100% recycled paper from differentiated collection) and taking care of the production of the paper bags.
Sumus bags are used for the collection of organic waste (from 7 to 360 litres) or paper (from 30 to 120 litres). The bags from 7 to 20 litres for the organic waste have a worldwide patent protection. Sumus Italia has developed and recently globally patented the first fabric made of recycled paper for active mulching. Thanks to the natural material, the above layer blocks the light, while the layer below prevents the growth of weed and the development of fungus and mold. The company is certified according to the regulations ISO 9001-2015, ISO 14001-2015 and ISO 45001
Paper bags
Our bags are the ideal solution for the differentiated collection and disposal of paper waste.
Other products
The offer of Sumus includes a series of different products developed to respect the environment (jerry cans made of recycled plastic, fabrics made of recycled paper for active mulching, small bags to collect cigarette butts, paper bags for dog feces)
Organic waste bags
Our bags are resistant to liquids, holes and rips. They are entirely compostable and bio-digestible within a few days during the process of anaerobic bio-digestion for the production of biogas from organic waste.
Paper bags
Our bags are the ideal solution for the differentiated collection and disposal of paper waste.
Other products
The offer of Sumus includes a series of different products developed to respect the environment (jerry cans made of recycled plastic, fabrics made of recycled paper for active mulching, small bags to collect cigarette butts, paper bags for dog feces)
Organic waste bags
Our bags are resistant to liquids, holes and rips. They are entirely compostable and bio-digestible within a few days during the process of anaerobic bio-digestion for the production of biogas from organic waste.
Paper bags
Our bags are the ideal solution for the differentiated collection and disposal of paper waste.
Other products
The offer of Sumus includes a series of different products developed to respect the environment (jerry cans made of recycled plastic, fabrics made of recycled paper for active mulching, small bags to collect cigarette butts, paper bags for dog feces)
Sumus è 100%...su Striscia la Notizia.Made in Italy.Riciclo.Ambiente.
Code of conduct
Sumus Italia has introduced its own code of conduct in 2015 to regulate all aspects of the company life: from the production to the relationship with suppliers, from staff policies to environmental sustainability policies.
“The code of conduct includes values representing us and inspiring all our actions. We are active on a daily basis in the challenge for environmental sustainability, and to offer products with the best possible quality to our customers.”
Renato Fancello, Research and Development Manager
How does the Sumus patented system for the collection of organic waste with bags up to 20 liters work
The bag is produced from 100% recycled paper and its structure is extremely resistant.
EPO (European Patent Office) recognized this Sumus bag with a worldwide patent covering three innovative solutions: three layers bag bottom, internal intermediate bag bottom (“fondello interno”), foldable flaps at the top.
The bag has a three layers structure at the bottom which prevents rips, using 100% biodegradable and compostable glues.
The mobile internal intermediate bag bottom (“fondello mobile interno”) is the real revolution that radically differentiates our bags from the others. It isolates the bottom of the bag from the direct contact with waste, protecting it and facilitating the aerobic activity.
This structure creates a volume of air, a sort of lung, between the bottom of the bag and the intermediate bag bottom. The aerobic activity of the waste generates a natural “forced draft” (similar to a chimney). Every time the warm air created in the degradation process of waste mass goes up, also the cold air contained at the bottom goes up. This virtuous cycle is the base for the efficiency of this Sumus bag.
This invention facilitates the aerobic activity of the waste and thanks to the continuous circulation of oxygen, it prevents the development of rotten and bad smell. It also creates a reduction of weight and volume, preventing the release of liquids.
The high porosity of Sumus paper and the presence of the intermediate bag bottom make the entire process possible and efficient.
The foldable flaps at the top allow a good management of the bag’s filling and make it easier to close the bag for transportation.
The bag can be used alone, without any particular support. The only precaution is to check that the bag bottom lies on a surface allowing the circulation of air.
The completely perforated waste bins (bottom, sides and top) on the market permit an efficient and comfortable use of the bag and Sumus Italia recommends their usage.
Company Certifications
Green Procurement
Sumus Italia S.R.L. pursues the objectives of the Concession Contracts in force in Italian law (L. 50/2016) in terms of green purchase, respect of the Minimum Environmental Criteria (CAM), environmental and product certifications, life cycle assessment, carbon footprint.
FSC – Forest Stewardship Council™
Sumus Italia S.R.L. contributes to the preservation of forests and can consequently exhibit the mark FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council™), which certifies the origin of the wood and wood derived products (paper, wood pulp) coming from legal and environmentally well managed production chains (forests, recycling platforms, paper mills, final producers).
UNI EN ISO Integrated Certifications
The certifications UNI EN ISO 9001-2015 and UNI EN ISO 14001-2015 attest the management of the production chain to be oriented towards improving the company performances able to satisfy the needs of customers, business partners, suppliers and the community, together with the use of a managing system to monitor the environmental impact.
The UNI EN ISO 45001:2018 certifies the respect of defined standards for the safety and health of the staff.
Product Certifications
Compostable Certification CIC
Sumus bags are certified with UNI EN 13432:2002. This certification of the final product is required by law to utilize bags for the differentiated collection of organic waste. Sumus bags obtained this certification more than two years before it became a requirement by law in Italy.
The protocol “CIC – Consorzio Italiano Compostatori” verifies the compostability also at an industrial scale with tests in plants, in contrast to other brands certified only at a laboratory level.
Certification HPB (High Performance Bag)
Sumus bags are in compliance with the regulations UNI EN 13593:2003 and 22248:1993. Both certifications are not required by law, but the company wanted to introduce them in order to offer the best guarantees of mechanical resistance to rips, both in humid and dry conditions.
Blauer Engel
It is the German ecological certification. It exists since 1978 and it is the first environmental product mark present on the market. Obtaining this certification attests the limited environmental impact of all the Sumus bags along the entire life cycle.
Certification PEF
Sumus® bags for the organic waste obtained as the first in Europe the certification PEF – Product Environmental Footprint, granted by Certiquality after a complex analysis and study handled by Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa and Università Bocconi. This certification consists in a multi-criteria measurement based on the most advanced methods for the evaluation of the life cycle (Life Cycle Assessment – LCA).
Sumus Italia S.R.L. follows also these listed compliances: UNI EN ISO 8367-1/1996 to guarantee the best in terms of dimensional tolerance; UNI EN ISO 2859-1 to guarantee the correct number of bags per delivering lot.
Awards
In 2018 Sumus Italia received the “Zerowaste, le buone pratiche di impresa verso i rifiuti zero” (Zerowaste, good entrepreneurial practices towards zero waste), awarded by the association Zero Waste Italy and Centro Ricerca Rifiuti Zero of the municipality of Capannori. In the same years it received at Ecomondo 2018 the innovation award in the environmental sector.
Sumus Italia received the “Premio Sviluppo Sostenibile 2016” (Sustainable Development Award 2016) for the bio-fabric made of recycled paper used for active mulching. The award is promoted by Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile together with Ecomondo-Fiera di Rimini.
In 2015 the municipality of Ceriale, which uses Sumus bags for the differentiated collection of organic waste, won the special price «Il Comune più organico» (the most organic municipality) for the category of the municipalities between 5,000 and 15,000 inhabitants, as part of the contest «La città per il Verde» (The city for the green).
In 2014 the city of Forlì, which uses Sumus bags for the differentiated collection of organic waste, won the special award «Il Comune più organico» (the most organic municipality) in the category of the municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, as part of the contest «La città per il Verde» (The city for the green).
