Book articles on recycling plastic bags

Kenya joined a growing list of nations that have banned plastic bags, imposing steep fines and jail time on violators. Jun 25, 2019 plastic recycling industry associations are the bodies responsible for promoting plastic recycling, enabling members to build and maintain relationships among plastic recyclers, and lobbying with government and other organizations to help create the best possible environment for the plastic recycling industry. However, this is still a very novel approach and currently is only used in a. It cost more to recycle a bag than to produce a new one. Plastic recycling and the plastic recycling process.

It is said that removal of one ton of plastic for recycling spares a landfill space of around 7. The same goes for sticky tape on wrapping paper although the more of this you can remove, the better. Lots of stories, tips, resources, as well as information about the chemicals in plastic, what really happens to your recycling, what compostable vs. If you have a load of plastic bags you want to get rid of, check the bottoms for a number 2 or 4 plastic symbol to make sure they can be recycled. It is true that recycling plastic bags is problematic.

If you dont have shopping bags, use paper bags instead of plastic because they decompose faster. Finally, reasking the question posed by john tierney in an infamous 1996 new york times article, is recycling garbage. Bags for life are causing more plastic waste than ever. The sixth basic food group parts 1 and 2 polymers are forever the plastic sea flyer. The second option, incineration, returns some of the energy from plastic production but is known to produce negative environmental and health effects. Once the bags are recycled, they are made into lumber, trashcan liners or plastic bags. Once the envelopes go to our pulpers and dissolve, any plastic gets extracted out, says shona inglis of the recycling and waste management company ds smith. Isatou ceesay and the recycling women of the gambia is the perfect earth day book for creating ecological awareness in children and inspiring them to be the change.

As plastic bag bans go into effect, some question the unintended consequences in the u. Even though plastic shopping bags are recyclable, it is always best to bring your own reusable shopping bags or at least to use the same plastic shopping bags multiple times before recycling it. Aug 12, 2015 plastic bags generally are recycled into plastic lumber for decks, fences and furniture and into new plastic bags. But, landfills require space and the chemical constituents and energy contained in plastic articles typically is lost in this disposal route. The plastic industrys fight to keep polluting the world the intercept. For hardcover books, youll need to remove the cover because it has nonpaper components. Another issue is that producing recycled plastic does not reduce the need for virgin plastic. While plastic bags, wraps and films cant be recycled in your curbside recycling bins in most communities in the u. This is the easiest way to recycle plastic bags family. Generating plastic bags creates great amounts of air pollution and environmental waste. The recycling collection supply is abundant, mostly through collection bins at grocery stores.

That is the reason it is best to reuse plastic bags as much as possible. Plastic bags are recyclable, but only about 5 percent of them are recycled. Gable top cartons milk, juice, and laundry detergent cartons should be rinsed lightly and have their caps removed and discarded. A picture book telling the true story of how one woman in africa began a movement to recycle the plastic bags that were polluting her community. Recycling plastics reduces the amount of energy and resources such as water, petroleum, natural gas, and coal needed to create plastic. They can be included with the rest of your recyclables.

The plastic recycling process is fraught with flaws. You sort your recycling, leave it to be collected and then what. List of books and articles about recycling online research. Apr 22, 2019 in honor of earth day, get the answers to every recycling question you were afraid to ask, including what can be done with plastic bags, if your containers really have to be empty and where you. Christian science monitor news paper theres harsh economics behind bag recycling. Here isatou runs into a plastic bag in different parts of her life. Oct 06, 2008 the more environmentally sustainable solution is to promote recycling. One of the ways that plastic bags can be recycled is to place them in the recycling bin, with one caveat. However, bags and wrappers, like those that come around paper towels, can be returned to the grocery store for recycling. Scientists have found tiny bits of it throughout the ocean. Paper bags are still allowed, and local governments can impose a. Dec, 2019 articles on plastic bags displaying 1 20 of 28 articles many australian consumers are concerned at the environmental impact of their shopping habits, especially at christmas. In njau, gambia, people simply dropped the bags and. Jorgensen offers an accessible and engaging overview of recycling as an.

But unlike metal or glass, plastic can be reincarnated a limited number of times before it is too costly to revive. While the number of places with plastic bag bans are expanding in the u. Articles 7 misconceptions about plastic and plastic recycling our oceans are turning into plastic. For paperback books, you can recycle the book whole, including the binding. Dont think about a plastic bag pdf file iatp smart plastics guide pdf file.

To encourage more recycling, some cities and states are passing laws requiring stores to provide recycling bins for plastic bags. Isatou ceesay and the recycling women of the gambia millbrook picture books paul, miranda, zunon, elizabeth on. Discover librarianselected research resources on recycling from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Tubes are used for paper towels, toilet paper and wrapping paper. Newspaper bags, garment bags and bags sold in bulk, like trash or recycling bags, are also exempt. Clear recycling bags by ultrasac heavy duty 45 gallon garbage bags huge 100 pack wties 46 x 40 industrial quality clear trash bags for paper, plastic, cans, bottles, newspaper, grass, lawn 4. Conversely, there is limited recycling of multilayermulticomponent articles. Reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic bags and wrap a page that provides education on what can be down to reduce plastic bag use and increase recycling.

These reveal the labor involved and show the womens joy in the. Some dyes used in creating plastic products can be contaminated, causing entire batches of potential recycling material to be scrapped. Plastic bags are harmful to the environment, and cities and states across the united states are considering placing fees on them or banning them. Some large grocery stores offer plastic bag recycling options on site find a recycling center near you. This disappoints her grandmother, because the people in the city use a ton of plastic bags. Many stores have reusable bags for sale at the register, and some stores. So, please ensure that plastic bags stay out of your blue recycling container or bin, and use reusable bags whenever possible. Tiny plastic, big problem science news for students. Unsightly plastic bottles, bags and other trash give just a hint of the largely unseen problem of plastic pollution.

Recycle plastic bags by reusing them when you are at the grocery store or bring reusable cloth bags with you. Use of recycled materials in 1996, 27% of solid waste in the united states was recycled. Schools can set up new policies to reduce trash created in the cafeteria. Plastic bags like those used for bread, newspapers and as cereal box liners, as well as sandwich bags, dry cleaning bags and grocery bags create similar problems for recycling machinery as thin plastic film. In a 1993 book that claims to reveal the hidden life of groceries and other secrets of the supermarket, journalist vince staten pinpoints the. This text informs its readers of how plastic bags can affect communities, both good ways and bad ways. Plastic bags news, research and analysis the conversation. That said, there are ways that municipalities have been encouraging citizens to help them to recycle plastic bags. Plastic bags are a major source of ocean pollution as well. Plastic bags dont biodegrade, meaning it will take hundreds of years for them to decompose in a landfill. Learn how to recycle right with our tips, bust popular recycling myths, and become an expert recycler.

Plastic bag and film recycling grew 24 percent in 2006, and is being embraced from coast to coast, from california to new. The plastic bag problem an article that provides information on the issue of plastic bags, and how people can reduce use and recycle. Unfortunately, plastic bags are not confined to landfills. Much is due to the nature of plastic itself, which often can only be downcycled rather than recycled a torn plastic bag might eventually be transformed into a lunch tray, but it will. Report to the illinois general assembly on plastic bag recycling. Newspapers and all inserts, magazines, catalogs, and paperback books. The colourful picture book tells the true story of isatou ceesay, a gambian woman who became known as the queen of plastic recycling.

Before recycling bags, be sure they are free of food remnants, and remove any zipper closures. Plastic bag manufacturer misleads public about recycling. Take one last look at the many plastic bags of new york. Sea life cant tell the difference between plastic and food.

Plastic bags are among the most common sources of marine debris, where they can be mistaken as food by birds and fish. Analyzing the growing marine debris centers, such as trash islands, can help to understand plastic bags role in ocean pollution. Plastic grocery bags type 2 highdensity polyethylene film hdpe and type 4 low density or linearlow density polyethylene film ldpelldpe can be recycled at your local supermarket and other locations. Bags can be recycled into a few products now though. Supermarkets boast that stronger carriers are better for the environment, but with 1. Dont think about a plastic bag pdf file iatp smart plastics. A spokesperson for giant said all of the plastic bags that are collected at its stores in the washington area are put on a trailer and sent to the chains own recycling facility, along with.

Her tips open up your creativity to incorporate plastic bag as yarn projects for almost anything. According to a 2009 study by researchers peter gleick and heather cooley from the pacific institute of california, a pintsized bottle of water requires about 2,000 times as much energy to produce as the same. Its an interdisciplinary collection focused on how the presence and recalcitrance of plastic reveals the relational exchanges across human and synthetic materialities. My book is a practical guide to ridding your lifeand the planetof plastic. Mar 30, 2018 in addition to a total ban on traditional plastic bags, they implemented a 10cent tax on compostable plastic bags. As far as we try to toss a piece of plastic whether its into a recycling bin or not it does not disappear.

Government bans on lightweight plastic shopping bags have spread in recent years amid fears about plastic s negative impact on the environment. To bag your plastic bags, place all your grocery store plastic bags, dry cleaning plastic bags, or any other plastic bags in a plastic bag. The many benefits of recycling plastic you ought to know. Today, 80% of americans have easy access to a plastics recycling program, whether they participate in a municipal curbside program or live near a dropoff site. The plastic bag is a miracle of design, said susan freinkel, the author of plastic. Plastic bag recycling rates suck, and recycling is not the answer to the plastic bag problem in the first place. But the plastics industry continues to justify bag production by insisting that voluntary recycling programs are the solution to plastic bag litter and pollution.

This stepbystep video shows how the women of njau, gambia recycle plastic bags into beautiful purses and you can learn. Plastic recycling an overview sciencedirect topics. Recycle as many cans, bottles, books, metal, aluminum, glass, newspapers and electronics you. Aug 02, 2007 tips for crocheting with plastic bags cindy of my recycled bags sells her cool crochet bags and products made from recycled plastic bags. Plastic bags, plain black embossed tshirt bag 400 count, plastic bags with handles bulk, plastic grocery bags, retail bags, 12 x 7 x 22 17 mic 0. Aug 28, 2019 to recycle old plastic bags, reuse them for your groceries, instead of getting new bags each time. Needs assistance customers must call simple recycling at least 24 hours ahead of their regularly scheduled recycling day to schedule a textile pickup. A partial list of the good news since 2014 would include, in no particular order. Paperboard boxes and tubes paperboard and chipboard include cereal, pasta, toothpaste and beer boxes. Workers removing plastic bags from clogged rollers at a recycling plant in westborough, mass. Also, because the bags are so light, they can easily be blown.

One plastic bag one plastic bag is a nonfiction story about a little girl named isatou. Much recycling and waste reduction can be done with plastics and other materials in the cafeteria. As plastic bag bans go into effect, some question the. In isatou ceesays village was becoming cluttered up with discarded plastic bags, causing problems for animals who choke on.

Some states are trying to stop local governments from enacting the bans, and the epa estimates that americans use 380 billion plastic bags and wraps each year. Feb 26, 2020 please remove any straw and flatten it before placing in the recycling container. Lists materials that are and are not accepted in the recycling cart blue cart. Many plastics can be recycled, and some of the materials used to make plastics can be recovered. This book explores the vitality and complexity of plastic. From cups to plastic forks and spoons to food packaging, you school produces a lot of plastic waste that can be recycled. In this project we will explore the amount of pollution plastic bags create in streets and in oceans.

Isatau ceesay and the recycling women of the gambia is an excellent informational text to read to grades 35. But you might want to give those bags some thought after all. Video from trex company about recyclable film beyond bags. Avoid black plastic food packaging and the 16 other. Newspapers take up much volume in landfills, and some recycling programs seek to collect them along with other sorted categories of waste, such as organic matter, bones, and plastic. Isatou ceesay and the recycling women of the gambia millbrook picture books. The material politics of plastic edited by jennifer gabrys, gay hawkins and mike michael 2014. Plastic wraps from drycleaners, newspapers, and many consumer products can be collected with plastic bags. Fittingly, the collage illustrations make use of colorful papers and plastic bags. Oct 09, 2014 the researchers, from duke university and vanderbilt university, used survey data from more than 600 respondents in 2009 to examine the effects of different recycling regimes on the recycling rates for plastic water bottles. The site is full of information and resources about crochet and other crafted recycled bags. Pushes to recycle plastics are one element of a massive, industryled.

Mar 16, 2018 many people think items such as plastic bags and coffee cups can be recycled when they cant. In order to safely recycle plastic bags return them to drop off locations at speciallymarked recycling bins located at the front of most supermarkets, large grocery or. Although for the most part, plastic takes less energy to recycle than paper, plastic bags are a frustrating recycling dilemma. With a new state ban going into effect, we bid farewell to the purple flower, the smiley face and the thank you thank you thank you. Plastic scrap that is generated from industrial waste is typically clean, consistent in form and quality and commonly reprocessed, traded and reused across the industry. The plastic bag receptacle that the kids painted green and outfitted with. Home recycling bags and wraps find a drop off location enter your zip code below to find locations that accept plastic bags and film packaging.

But what happens when a bag breaks or is no longer needed. In the years since, other states have responded in different ways. If these plastic bags cannot be collected as recyclables, why do they have the. If the magazine came in a plastic bag, youll want to remove and recycle this separately. In isatou ceesays village was becoming cluttered up with discarded plastic bags, causing problems for animals who choke on them and attracting diseasebearing insects. A plastic bottle recycled can save as much energy as it takes to light a 60 watt bulb for six hours. Our plastic pollution crisis is too big for recycling to. Then i realized that pretty much any soft plastic can go into the plastic bag. Packing materials, such as polystyrene, plastic quilting, and similar materials, can be saved and reused again for packing. Recycling a ton of plastic bags about 450,000 bags saves 11 barrels of oil. Books and magazines can be donated to schools, public libraries, or nursing homes.

The original plastic shopping bags were designed by the swedish engineer sten. Jun 09, 2018 recycling alone will never stem the flow of plastics into our oceans. Goats and soda prime minister imran khans ban on plastic bags in the islamabad area goes into effect on aug. But unlike metal or glass, plastic can be reincarnated a limited. Alternatively, use them as garbage bags for smaller bins around your house. Recycle and reuse newspaper sleeve bags mnn mother. Plastic recycling is a process that utilizes complicated technology and depends on the quality of the incoming material. They have since added requirements for recycling, labeling, and reuse programs, since plastic bags are on the nogo list of most regular recycling facilities. One of the important environmental benefits of recycling plastic bags and bottles is that, it saves animals, birds, and a wide range of aquatic creatures from death due to ingestion of plastic. Lawrence wrights new pandemic novel wasnt supposed to be prophetic. Wagner, argued in a recent article in plastics recycling update magazine. Analysis of flexible film plastics packaging diversion systems.

Recycle the plastic bags at your local grocery store. A universal numbering system for plastic types makes it even easier. The curbside recycling in many communities is not meant for plastic bags because they can screw up the plants machines source. Plastic bags are only recyclable if they have the recycling symbol. Bring your own shopping bags instead of using plastic bags. To reduce plastic waste and negative effects, recycling programs have been implemented in many parts of the united states, but remain underutilized. Plastic beads from grocery bags, diy how to, recycle plastic bags.