Plastic Bag Manufacturer
The press coverage on the ecological footprint left by plastic bags in landfill sites has increased the pressure on plastic bag manufacturers to create an eco friendly product. The U.S. goes through 1 trillion plastic shopping bags annually, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The problem is that plastic bags do not biodegrade. They are not a natural product, so there are currently no micro-organisms designed to break down the product. Plastics photodegrade, breaking into smaller and smaller toxic pieces, but needs light to break down. Most landfill sites bury the plastics, entombing them forever. If the plastics do break down they contaminate the soil, waterways and enter the food chain when ingested by animals. Only 1 percent of all bags are recycled.
Plastic bags are made by Polyethylene, a petroleum product. This non-renewable natural resource is made from crude oil, gas and coal. They estimate that 8.7 plastic checkout bags contain enough embodied petroleum energy to drive a car 1 kilometer, according to the 2002 Nolan ITU Report for Environment Australia on Plastic Shopping Bags - Analysis of Levies and Environmental Impacts. Five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year. Today�s plastic bag manufacturers do have alternatives to Polyethylene bags. They can reduce the ecological imprint, protect the millions of animals that die each year, and reduce the pollution and landfill levels.
One product that is gaining interest is a product created by ECM BioFilms, Inc.. They produce an additive that is revolutionizing the plastics market. This new product is added to standard plastic resins that make them biodegradable. ECM is working hard to eliminate the millions of pounds of plastics dumped in land fill sights and reduce environmental issues that plague the plastics industry.
Looking for a plastic bag supplier and other resources?
Another option is to manufacture plastic with cornstarch and cottonseed fillers. Despite being expensive to manufacture, the cornstarch and cottonseed does not breakdown the molecular structure of the plastic.
Plastic Bag Manufacturers face prejudice and condemnation from several venues. Most of these venues do not take the time to separate the myths from the facts. Here are some myths that confuse the issue.
Myth � Plastic bags take up to 40% of landfill sites. This is not true. Cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and gum wrappers account for 95% of all waste in the English speaking world.
Myth � Plastic bags prevent the breakdown of garbage in landfill sites. Today�s landfill sites are created to prevent any breakdown. No one knows how long a plastic bag may take to break down when not exposed to the sunlight. However, this is true of anything in a landfill site.
Myth � Plastic bags contribute to the USA�s gluttonous consumption of fossil fuels. Plastic bag manufacturing only consumes .05 percent of the country�s oil consumption. Paper bags made from 100% recycled fibers require more fossil fuels in the manufacturing process than plastic bags.
Myth � It is too expensive to recycle plastics. It takes 91% less energy to recycle one pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper.
Myth � Paper is more environmentally friendly than Plastic. Manufacturing a plastic bag takes 40% less and generates 80% less waste than paper. Paper bags generate 70% more emissions, and 50% more water pollutants than plastic bags.
Today�s plastic bag manufacturer is working hard to do better for the environment as well as provide a product that can help businesses make more sales and profit.
The problem is that plastic bags do not biodegrade. They are not a natural product, so there are currently no micro-organisms designed to break down the product. Plastics photodegrade, breaking into smaller and smaller toxic pieces, but needs light to break down. Most landfill sites bury the plastics, entombing them forever. If the plastics do break down they contaminate the soil, waterways and enter the food chain when ingested by animals. Only 1 percent of all bags are recycled.
Plastic bags are made by Polyethylene, a petroleum product. This non-renewable natural resource is made from crude oil, gas and coal. They estimate that 8.7 plastic checkout bags contain enough embodied petroleum energy to drive a car 1 kilometer, according to the 2002 Nolan ITU Report for Environment Australia on Plastic Shopping Bags - Analysis of Levies and Environmental Impacts. Five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year. Today�s plastic bag manufacturers do have alternatives to Polyethylene bags. They can reduce the ecological imprint, protect the millions of animals that die each year, and reduce the pollution and landfill levels.
One product that is gaining interest is a product created by ECM BioFilms, Inc.. They produce an additive that is revolutionizing the plastics market. This new product is added to standard plastic resins that make them biodegradable. ECM is working hard to eliminate the millions of pounds of plastics dumped in land fill sights and reduce environmental issues that plague the plastics industry.
Looking for a plastic bag supplier and other resources?
Another option is to manufacture plastic with cornstarch and cottonseed fillers. Despite being expensive to manufacture, the cornstarch and cottonseed does not breakdown the molecular structure of the plastic.
Plastic Bag Manufacturers face prejudice and condemnation from several venues. Most of these venues do not take the time to separate the myths from the facts. Here are some myths that confuse the issue.
Myth � Plastic bags take up to 40% of landfill sites. This is not true. Cigarette butts, candy wrappers, and gum wrappers account for 95% of all waste in the English speaking world.
Myth � Plastic bags prevent the breakdown of garbage in landfill sites. Today�s landfill sites are created to prevent any breakdown. No one knows how long a plastic bag may take to break down when not exposed to the sunlight. However, this is true of anything in a landfill site.
Myth � Plastic bags contribute to the USA�s gluttonous consumption of fossil fuels. Plastic bag manufacturing only consumes .05 percent of the country�s oil consumption. Paper bags made from 100% recycled fibers require more fossil fuels in the manufacturing process than plastic bags.
Myth � It is too expensive to recycle plastics. It takes 91% less energy to recycle one pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper.
Myth � Paper is more environmentally friendly than Plastic. Manufacturing a plastic bag takes 40% less and generates 80% less waste than paper. Paper bags generate 70% more emissions, and 50% more water pollutants than plastic bags.
Today�s plastic bag manufacturer is working hard to do better for the environment as well as provide a product that can help businesses make more sales and profit.
