It is estimated that 10 billion [WRAP 2005] lightweight plastic carrier bags are issued in the UK each year.
We don’t want to jump on the eco-band wagon. We don’t want to be eco-bullies but we do want you to be aware of the issues and make your own decisions.
We support the three R’s. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and in that order. We hope that through design & branding we can appeal to both businesses and the consumer with products that are attractive, practical, sustainable and money saving
There is a lot of information out there and much of it confusing. We don’t hold the answers but common sense tells us that to reuse something is better than continuous consumption.
plastic bags
The sheer volume is unnecessary. Even though most are reused at least once, reduction in consumption would have a positive impact on the environment. Freeing up the natural resources used in manufacture and reducing landfill in disposal.
There are different types of plastic bags High-Density Polyethene [HDPE] , low Density Polyethene [LDPE] and degradable bags – Biodegradable and Bioerodable.
The problem with recycling plastic bags is that the different types of plastic bags need to be separated. Conventional polyethene plastic bags [HDPE and LDPE] can be recycled into new products, but if degradable bags are mixed in the recycling process they can contaminate the process and compromise the recycled new products. At the moment they are mixed in household waste and usually landfilled where the necessary conditions to degrade are absent.
It is a myth that degradable bags are environmentally friendly. The bags don’t actually fully degrade. They break down into smaller and smaller particles contaminating the soil and waterways and entering the food chain when animals ingest them. They need certain conditions to bioerode such as light and heat and when they breakdown they usually release methane, a greenhouse gas.
paper bags
According to recycling-guide.org.uk 70% less energy is required to manufacture paper bags compared to making them from raw materials. Unfortunately, not all paper bags in circulation are made from recycled paper and the other problem is they are often not recycled. When they are reused they do not last more than a few uses.
For more information go to:
www.reducereuserecycle.co.uk
www.wrap.org.uk
relevant articles
Is there a green Carrier Bag? - Observer, Sunday January 6, 2008
Dilemma - Plastic carriers are an easy target, but paper bags are bigger culprits. So what tote isn't too hot to handle, asks Lucy Siegle
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/story/0,,2235604,00.html