Recycled Bags

Recycled Bags

Buy recycled packaging or read our environmental plastics guide now.

Almost every kind of plastic can be recycled, but there are some circumstances to take into consideration such as economic, logistic and technical factors. Plastic is a valuable but limited resource so the ideal route for most plastic items, especially plastic bags, when they reach the "end-of-life" is to turn them back into another plastic product which may be recycled over and over again. Britain alone is estimated to use over 5 million tonnes of plastic every year from which only 24% has been recollected and recycled.

Plastic recycling recovers scrap or waste plastics and reprocess the material into useful products, often completely different from their original state. For example, this could mean melting down polyester soft drink bottles then making model army figures and ammo.

Plastic Identification Codes

To help the process of recycling plastics were classified into 7 different groups of polymers, each with specific properties. Each group of plastic polymer is identified by its Plastic Identification Code (PIC) - normally a number between 1 and 7. The code is then used to helping identifying whether the plastic can be recycled into new products or not.

Benefits of Plastic Recycling

Here are some benefits of recycling plastic:

• For every 7 lorries it takes to deliver paper bags, it only take 1 lorry to deliver plastic bags;
• Recycled plastic can be made into plastic lumber, which is more durable;
• Provides a sustainable source of raw materials to industry;
• Recycled fizzy drink bottles can be reused to make filling for pillows and jackets;
• Greatly reduces the environmental impact of plastic-rich products;
• Encourages a sustainable lifestyle among children and young-adults;
• Can be used to make toys, park benches, car parts, drainage pipes and more;
• Minimises the amount of plastic being sent to the UK’s diminishing landfill sites;
• Avoids the consumption of the Earth’s oil stocks;
• The plastic recycling business creates lots of jobs around the UK.
• Consumes less energy than producing new, virgin polymers;
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions;

Biodegradable Packaging

For packaging to be considered biodegradable it needs to be able to be broken down by the enzymes produced by living organisms. Biodegradable packaging is usually manufactured using plant or animal sources like paper, vegetable scraps and corn starch.

Biodegradable packaging can be classified as degradable, biodegradable or compostable each one of these have different properties. Degradable packaging will suffer a significant change in its chemical structure under specific environmental conditions resulting in loss of some properties. Biodegradable packaging will degrade from the action of naturally occurring micro-organisms, such as bacteria and fungi over a period of time. Compostable packaging is capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass.

Why Biodegradable

Regular plastics take a very long time to decompose. Rubbish and dump waste have their own associated problems and hazards as well as taking a long time to disintegrate. Litter is also visual pollution, a problem that organisations and educational programs have failed to eliminate. Not only does normal packaging degrade very slowly but anything contained within the packaging may not fully degrade until the plastic has degraded. This slow composition also represents an unnecessary waste of valuable landfill space. Biodegradable bags (for instance those made out of potato starch) accelerate the process of degradation, meaning less space is needed for packaging to decompose in less time.

Common biodegradable packaging products

Biodegradable alternatives are becoming increasingly common for many packaging ranges. It is important to draw the distinction between degradable and "truly" biodegradable products that are potentially much more environmentally friendly, but biodegradable alternatives exist for the following standard packaging products:

• Biodegradable clear bags
• Biodegradable carrier bags
• Biodegradable mailing bags
• Biodegradable dog poo bags
• Compost bags
• Eco-friendly bin liners and wastes sacks

These are just some of types available but nowadays, for those that care about the environment, there are biodegradable alternatives to polythene for practically every type of packaging, be sure to check our recommended suppliers for more options.

Biodegradable Bags

The following websites concentrate on the supply of biodegradable bags

Biodegradable Bags 2u
Biodegradable Bags 2u offers selected information, top suppliers and manufactures of biodegradable packaging with a wide range of products to help you keep the environment.

Biodegradable Bags 2u
For all your compost bags, degradable bags and biodegradable bags visit Biodegradable Bags 2u, a specialist wholesale supplier of eco-packaging. Find solutions for all your biodegradable bags needs.

Discount Biodegradable Bags
All your questions about biodegradable bags and degradable plastics answered plus the best discount prices and deals on biodegradable bags and other environmentally friendly packaging.

Discount Biodegradable Bags
Buy discount biodegradable bags from a selection of top UK suppliers and manufacturers. All at low costs and with bulk buy discounts.
www.discountbiodegradablebags.com

Biodegradable Plastic
Biodegradable Plastic aims to help the conscious user of packaging understand the options available for regular packaging. Find out more about biodegradable plastics and buy from selected wholesale suppliers and manufacturers.
www.biodegradableplastic.org.uk

Starch Bags
If you need suitable rubbish bags to use on your compost filed visit Starch Bags a website dedicated to compost-bags with discounted prices for all degradable packaging needs.

Manufacturers of biodegradable packaging

Polybags - Eco packaging
Polybags now manufacture and stock a wide range of eco-friendly green packaging products to suit your needs and help towards a better environment. These include kitchen waste and refuse bags, bin liners, carrier bags and standard bags.
www.polybags.co.uk

Environmentally friendly bags and packaging

The following are websites selling or giving information on where to buy many ranges of environmentally friendly packaging including biodegradable bags but also covering other green packaging suck as biodegradable void fill for protecting goods in transit.

Environmental Bags
Environmental bags is a website specialising in compostable, biodegradable and degradable bags. It discusses the use of green bags, what biodegradable and degradable really means and where to buy good quality environmentally-friendly bags.

Environmental Bags
Environmental Bags is a specialist supplier and manufacturer of eco-friendly packaging. With a big range of biodegradable products to suit all your eco-packaging needs, all provided straight from the manufacturer.
www.environmentalbags.com

Environmentally Friendly Bags
For all your needs for environmentally friendly packaging, choose from a selection of top UK suppliers and manufacturers of eco-friendly packaging with low prices and a wide range of packaging products.
www.environmentallyfriendlybags.com

Eco Bag
If you need an alternative to regular polythene packaging Eco Bag is the right place to go. With lots of options available on eco-friendly bags sold at manufacturers prices to help you save money and the environment.
www.ecobag.uk.com

Enviro Bag
Enviro Bag is a wholesale supplier of high quality environmentally-friendly packaging. Provides a selection of suppliers and manufactures of green packaging. Cut the middle man and buy straight from the manufacturer.

Compost Bags

These sites give information and advice on where to buy compost bags for gardening, disposing of household waste in an eco-friendly manner or for specialist green waste disposal such as for dog waste.

Compo Bag
If you need to dispose of rubbish in compost fields and need to know more about the packaging options visit Compo Bag a specialist in compostable bags and eco-friendly packaging. Buy compo-bags direct from the manufacturer at low costs and save money.
www.compobag.co.uk

Compost Bag
For all your compost bag needs visit Compost Bag. CompostBag is dedicated to find selected information about environmentally-friendly packaging, providing wholesale suppliers and manufacturers of cheap, high-quality compost bags.
www.compostbag.co.uk

Degradable bags and Recycled bags

Some environmentally responsible manufacturers offer the facility to re-use recycled polymer from reclaimed plastic bags to make the majority of their products (non-recycled polymer is known as virgin polymer). Another alternative to purely biodegradable bags made from natural products such as starch is the use of degradable bags where an additive helps break down a polythene bag quicker than usual. The following sites give more information on recycling polythene bags and degradable plastic bags.

Degradable Bags
Degradable Bags is a specialist in degradable packaging with great prices and discounts on environmental bags. Find degradable solutions including bin liners and refuse sacks, carrier bags and starch-based packaging.
www.degradable-bags.co.uk

Recycled Bags
To show your interest in helping towards the environment, recycled bags are also a good choice. Find all the information you need on types of plastic materials that can be recycled and you need to buy choose from selected suppliers of quality, low cost recycled bags.
www.recycled-bags.co.uk

Research & Resources

PackagingKnowledge: references and news from the flexible polythene packaging industry. Including these articles on degradable and biodegradable bags and compobags.

PlasticBags.uk.com: Free packaging directory where businesses can add their bags, film and biodegradable product listings for free. Browse websites about environmentally friendly packaging and biodegradable bags.

Goldstork: a private directory of interesting, unusual and off-beat websites. Visit Goldstork environmentally friendly biodegradable bags vault.