Polyethylene Bags
Nothing has hit the retail industry or changed the face of shopping like T Shirt and grocery bags. The retail industry uses one trillion bags a year. And the advances in manufacturing and content have been amazing. Despite the propaganda and myths associated with plastic bags, they will be a part of the retail industry for generations to come.
The ecological industry realized this in recent years. Instead of trying to discourage people from using Polyethylene bags, they are encouraging recycling. There is a growing movement to increase the use of recycled plastic bags. New Jersey, Connecticut, and areas in California are considering the implementation of recycling programs and the use of 100% recycled products.
A cottage industry has sprung up in Africa where people collect 30 000 plastic bags a month and weave them into products such as hats and bowls. There is a long way to go. Currently, only 1% of all bags are recycled. As the industry turns toward recycling this number must increase.
It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. When comparing the cost of making a paper bag to plastic. And the fact that 40% of all waste in landfill sites is paper, and the increasing value of every mature tree on the planet, it is irresponsible to consider paper over plastic.
Looking for t-shirt plastic bags and other resources?
The fact is, Polyethylene products are a perfect product for today's consumer. It can be reused over and over, and is currently being made into everything from watering cans and carpets, to building materials. There is no reason why a plastic bag needs to spend 200 years degrading in a landfill site. Instead, it can spend those 200 years being reused dozens of times.
There is a growing market for recycled plastic. It is cheaper to use recycled plastic than it is to make new materials, increasing potential for more recycling of used plastic bags.
The governments are working to increase recycling. The manufacturers of Polyethylene bags are looking in a different direction. They are focusing on making plastic biodegradable. Many bags will only break down when exposed to light. Even when they do break down they leech toxins into the ground. The manufacturers are working on compounds that enable plastic to break down while buried in a landfill site.
The retail industry is working to make it easier for business to work with plastic bags. Manufacturers are offering short-runs of customized plastic bags, graphics art help, and direct purchasing to give plastic bags a wider exposure.
Now any business can afford to use plastic from the local vegetable stand in a rural area, to a computer retailer on eBay, an ecommerce store selling collectables to a worldwide audience, and the newest retail outlet in town. Neither cost nor environmental responsibility needs to be a problem for the retail industry. Even a retailer in the eco-friendly industry can use Polyethylene bags with a clear consciousness when purchasing directly from responsible suppliers.
The ecological industry realized this in recent years. Instead of trying to discourage people from using Polyethylene bags, they are encouraging recycling. There is a growing movement to increase the use of recycled plastic bags. New Jersey, Connecticut, and areas in California are considering the implementation of recycling programs and the use of 100% recycled products.
A cottage industry has sprung up in Africa where people collect 30 000 plastic bags a month and weave them into products such as hats and bowls. There is a long way to go. Currently, only 1% of all bags are recycled. As the industry turns toward recycling this number must increase.
It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. When comparing the cost of making a paper bag to plastic. And the fact that 40% of all waste in landfill sites is paper, and the increasing value of every mature tree on the planet, it is irresponsible to consider paper over plastic.
Looking for t-shirt plastic bags and other resources?
The fact is, Polyethylene products are a perfect product for today's consumer. It can be reused over and over, and is currently being made into everything from watering cans and carpets, to building materials. There is no reason why a plastic bag needs to spend 200 years degrading in a landfill site. Instead, it can spend those 200 years being reused dozens of times.
There is a growing market for recycled plastic. It is cheaper to use recycled plastic than it is to make new materials, increasing potential for more recycling of used plastic bags.
The governments are working to increase recycling. The manufacturers of Polyethylene bags are looking in a different direction. They are focusing on making plastic biodegradable. Many bags will only break down when exposed to light. Even when they do break down they leech toxins into the ground. The manufacturers are working on compounds that enable plastic to break down while buried in a landfill site.
The retail industry is working to make it easier for business to work with plastic bags. Manufacturers are offering short-runs of customized plastic bags, graphics art help, and direct purchasing to give plastic bags a wider exposure.
Now any business can afford to use plastic from the local vegetable stand in a rural area, to a computer retailer on eBay, an ecommerce store selling collectables to a worldwide audience, and the newest retail outlet in town. Neither cost nor environmental responsibility needs to be a problem for the retail industry. Even a retailer in the eco-friendly industry can use Polyethylene bags with a clear consciousness when purchasing directly from responsible suppliers.
