When you're in the supermarket, do you choose paper or plastic bags?
Most people choose plastic because it can be used in a variety of other ways after you bring the groceries home from the store. They can be used for small garbage can bags, a garbage bag in your family car or even to pack a few things with you for a short trip.
Believe it or not, some stores are banning the use of plastic bags- and they are losing business because of it. In these stores, shoppers have become creative, using thin plastic bags from the fresh vegetable sections of stores to carry out groceries.
This isn't the best solution and is a waste of resources. But, there is some good news...
Plastic bag recycling is on the rise. A number of major retailers have set up recycling boxes at the entrances of their stores to encourage recycling. Indeed, plastic bag recovery has increased by 31% since 2005. This growth is more than nine times greater than the 3.4% increase in recovery of all municipal solid waste from 2005 to 2009, according to U.S. EPA data. Recovery of post-consumer film, which includes plastic bags and product wraps, grew to an estimated 854 million pounds in 2009. Bag bans will reduce the motivation for those recycling efforts (wasterecyclingnews.com).
Recycling bags could also present a health challenge as some bacteria from food could stay inside the bags and cause illness when cross-contaminated with other foods. It could even come in contact with the conveyer belt at the supermarket and provide a danger to other consumers.
What are your thoughts on plastic bag recycling? Do you think it's beneficial or harmful?
If you have any questions or concerns about plastic bag recycling, contact us at 718-416-1656 and we can help answer your questions!
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