Edinburgh-based Project Harmless, a sustainable dog waste bag company, is preparing to clean up across the world after securing financial support for its expansion. Set up during the Covid-19 pandemic by dog lover George Greer, Project Harmless has secured funding through Start Up Loan’s delivery partner Virgin Start Up to expand its product line. The Start Up Loans programme has already covered manufacturing costs and will now build up the inventory, in particular to expand into the EU during 2023. The company is pleased with the high customer demand from Belgium, the USA and beyond, and wants to launch a new range of waste bags for larger breeds in due course.
Greer came up with the business idea after noticing high concentrations of plastic waste on the northern shores of Loch Long whilst walking his Swiss Shepherd, Noah. The number of dog waste bags prompted Greer to dig into their environmental impact, finding that most “biodegradable” and “compostable” bags don’t actually break down for a long time in the open environment or in landfill. In search of an eco-friendly alternative, Greer repurposed a water-reactive, non-toxic and microplastic-free material – the type used to coat medical pills – to develop a new class of dog waste bag. The company ensures that waste bags from Project Harmless dissolve in the open environment, particularly in rivers and oceans, posing no threat to marine life and wildlife.
“Despite the cost of living crisis, our customer base continues to grow,” says the ambitious company founder. “In 2022, nearly 10 billion dog waste bags were used in the UK alone. As much as 10 per cent of general waste plastic sadly ends up in our rivers and oceans worldwide, so that could amount to 1 billion used dog waste bags entering our waters by the end of the year, causing potential harm.”
The British Business Bank’s programme has already delivered more than 6 300 loans worth more than 55 mio GBP to new business owners in Scotland since 2012, including more than 770 loans for entrepreneurs in the Scottish capital. Virgin Start Up offers a 12 month programme of support for every business that receives a loan.
