Paper or Plastic
An interesting look at bags from the
EPA:
Questions About Your Community: Shopping Bags: Paper or Plastic or . . .?
Did you know plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy to produce and generate 80% less solid waste than paper bags? Did you know plastic bags can take 1,000 years to decompose whereas paper bags take about a month to decompose? The debate over whether plastic or paper bags are better for the environment has a long history and is often rekindled each time we check out at the grocery store when we hear that familiar question: Paper or plastic? Many of us have not been able to resolve this question, but there is an alternative --read on below.
There seem to be pluses and minuses on both sides of the debate. For paper bags, the life cycle stages consist of timber harvesting, pulping, paper and bag making, product use and waste disposal. For plastic (polyethylene) bags, the steps involve petroleum or natural gas extraction, ethylene manufacture, ethylene polymerization, bag processing, product use and waste disposal. In all of these steps, energy is required and wastes are generated.
They then list eight bullet-points and suggest that people use reusable bags. There have been
studies done with the reusable bags that show they harbor bacteria if not sanitized.
Hat tip to
The Daily Bayonet for the links.
Posted by DaveH at August 18, 2010 7:01 PM