Thin plastic grocery store bags are usually made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Although the production of these bags uses resources such as oil, it produces less carbon emissions, waste and harmful by-products than the production of cotton or paper bags. Given the concerns that push us in different directions: our health, the environment and climate change, what can an environmentally responsible and health-conscious buyer do? Let's compare the main options for plastic, paper and cotton bags to try to answer that question. To understand the full spectrum of impacts and benefits of a particular bag, we need to analyze its life cycle. A life cycle analysis (LCA) analyzes the amount of energy that is used and the number of environmental impacts that a product is responsible for at each stage of its useful life, from cradle to grave.
This includes extracting the raw materials, refining them, manufacturing the product, packaging it for shipment, transporting and distributing it, its use and possible reuse, recycling and final disposal. In any LCA, the total environmental impact also depends on the efficiency of each process and the number of environmental protection measures that are implemented at each stage. Energy use is also subject to variables such as the origin of the raw materials, the place of manufacture and processing, the time of use of the product and the method of final disposal. Life cycle studies conducted in Europe and North America have determined that, in general, plastic bags are better for the environment than paper or reusable bags, unless the latter are used many times.
However, most didn't consider the problem of garbage, which we know is one of the main drawbacks of plastic bags. Sulfur dioxide, a type of sulfur oxide, and nitrogen oxide emitted by coal-fired power plants that produce the energy needed to process bags contribute to acid rain. The plastic bag produced 50.5 grams of sulfur oxides, compared to 579 grams in the paper bag; and 45.4 grams of nitrogen oxides, compared to 264 grams in the paper. But because they're lightweight and easy to carry, plastic bags are difficult to dispose of properly.
They litter streets and trees and end up in the ocean, where they become entangled and consumed by marine life. They are rarely recyclable and can take anywhere from 20 to 1000 years to break into pieces. Over time, the sun and heat break plastics into smaller and smaller pieces, forming microplastics smaller than five millimeters long. They have been found everywhere, in the guts of marine animals and on waterways and beaches around the world.
Therefore, while these lifecycle studies have not considered garbage as an impact, the world recognizes that the omnipresence and persistence of plastic waste is a huge environmental problem. Regarding the choice of bags, Steve Cohen, director of the Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management at the Earth Institute, said that it is very difficult to predict whether plastic, paper or cloth bags are the best in terms of net energy or carbon, because they all use carbon. That's not to say that plastic has no value. In this time of coronavirus, most personal protective equipment is made of plastic. It's unnecessary.
Non-woven polypropylene fabric-like plastic bags that are often given away as advertising are stronger and more durable than HDPE and LDPE plastic bags and can therefore be used multiple times. They are made of polypropylene polymers derived from fossil fuels. and may include recycled material. The polymers are spun into threads and then pressed together between heated rollers to produce a fabric that feels similar to canvas.
According to a study by California State University at Chico, if you compare single-use nonwoven polypropylene bags, you can see that nonwoven polypropylene bags consume considerably more non-renewable energy and fresh water than single-use plastic bags. In addition, they are not biodegradable and need to be washed to avoid contamination. COVID-19 has been found to survive on polypropylene for three days. Paper bags are made from a renewable resource and are biodegradable. However, in the U.S.
In the US, the extent of the impacts of paper bags depends on whether the forest is managed sustainably and also on the environmental measures used in the paper processing plant. Cotton bags are made from a renewable resource and are biodegradable. They're also tough and durable, so they can be reused multiple times. First you have to harvest the cotton, then the cotton capsules go through the ginning process, which separates the cotton from the stems and leaves. Only 33 percent of the cotton harvested is usable.
The cotton is then packed and sent to cotton mills to be fluffed, cleaned, flattened and spun. Cotton threads are woven into fabric, which is then subjected to a chemical washing and discoloration process, after which can also be dyed and printed. Spinning, weaving and other manufacturing processes consume a lot of energy. Washing, bleaching, dyeing, printing, and other processes use large amounts of water and electricity.
Generally speaking, bags intended to last longer are made of heavier materials, so they use more resources in production and, therefore, have a greater environmental impact. To match the relatively low impact of plastic bags on global warming, paper and cotton bags must be used many times; however, it's unlikely that either one can survive long enough to be reused enough times to match the smaller impact of plastic bags. Ultimately, the single use of any bag is the worst possible option. The key to reducing environmental impact is to use the bags you have at home as often and in as many ways as possible.
It's understandable that, during this time of COVID-19, you've returned to using plastic bags to protect yourself and are probably throwing them away after using them only once. But when the risk of contracting COVID-19 decreases, remember to try to use the bag of your choice as many times as be possible. HDPE or LDPE bags can be used to store food, cover garbage baskets, collect dog waste, pack lunches, pack packages, store wet umbrellas, and in many more ways. Thanks for the review, I found it very enlightening.
It is sometimes difficult to make a real and fair comparison of the environmental impact of substitute products without adequate information. An interesting study and valuable information, but I agree with the idea of microplastics, which cannot be ignored when we analyze the amount of plastic waste that damages our waterways. In addition, plastic bags are often doubled to increase their strength, so comparing a cotton bag to a plastic bag is not reality. The cotton bag shown looks like it could hold at least two typical plastic bags filled with food, possibly three.
If we do the math, we can learn that the bag would have to last 7 to 11 years, depending on how many times a week it is purchased. It might be interesting to study what other durable materials, such as a lighter synthetic fiber bag, could contribute to the description of the study. However, the problem of microplastics and their impact on our food chain could be more problematic, in addition to the fact that textile recycling is easier to do than the normal recycling of plastic bags (behavioral impacts). Have you read the article? Cotton bags have been proven to be the least environmentally friendly. If you really want to help the environment, reuse plastic bags, it's not that difficult.
In fact, single-use plastic is the best, since it is necessary to use any other type of bag more than 50 times to equalize the amount of damage in production and recycling, if any country recycles instead of burning or burying it, such as Malaysia, after the carbon footprint of sending it there. You should know that you should not consult a study carried out by the plastic bag manufacturing sector. What do you think, is a paper or cloth bag good? You should use paper because that's what the article said was best or maybe just reusing plastic bags, it's not difficult, it's not. Plastic is worse because it damages our earth. It usually takes 400 to 1000 years to decay.
Thank you for informing us, we have fixed the error. Why do people do this? It's just a chance to live on this planet, then we die. I hate paper bags. I get sick because of the fumes that allergens produce, like old newspapers and magazines, a lot of people are disgusted by them.
If you use a plastic bag to make an ecological bag, it will be two times more environmentally friendly. Thank you for providing a new perspective and challenging the prevailing narrative of villanizing Plastic. However, this does not exempt us from the responsibility to apply appropriate waste management and recycling practices. By adopting recycling initiatives, supporting innovations and raising awareness of the importance of responsible use, we can ensure that plastic bags remain a viable and environmentally friendly option in our modern lives.
None of the bags are good to buy because they have their own drawbacks. Although not addressed in the article, I have been using the same backpack to go to the supermarket for more than a decade. I would love to see backpacks in the comparison list. I also use the same backpack for camping and traveling.
Backpacks also have drawbacks, since I'm guilty of washing mine only a few times a year. However, when I buy meat or produce, I place them in clear plastic bags (found in the agricultural and meat products departments of Northern Ontario). As I get older (women in their 40s), I find that a backpack doesn't match my outfits. In addition, many stores in Canada assume that you are a thief if you use a backpack and require you to leave your backpack at the main entrance.
Therefore, you also need a bag for your identification, any emergency medication, wallet, phone, etc. I believe in freedom and it's best for all of you to find the best solutions for your climate and lifestyle. I live in Northern Ontario, Canada, and I don't have a vehicle. I walk 1 to 3 km to and from the supermarket in all types of weather, from minus 30 to plus 30 degrees Celsius. That's another reason why a backpack is convenient for me.
That's a lot of history and it's off topic. It was nice that you got off topic a bit. Plastic bags start as fossil fuels and end up as deadly waste in landfills and the ocean. Birds often mistake shredded plastic bags for food, filling their stomachs with toxic waste.
For hungry sea turtles, it's almost impossible to distinguish between jellyfish and floating plastic bags for the purchase. Fish eat thousands of tons of plastic a year and transfer it along the food chain to larger fish and marine mammals. People also consume microplastics through food and air. It is estimated that, around the world, people consume the equivalent of a credit card full of plastic every week,1 and it is expected that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.
Don't leave reusable bags in the car, because when it's hot, the bags become an ideal place for bacteria to multiply. The energy contained in plastic bags initially comes from the extraction of the raw materials needed to manufacture natural gas and oil, whose extraction requires a lot of energy. On March 1, New York State instituted a ban on plastic bags, joining seven other states in an attempt to reduce garbage, garbage in landfills, ocean pollution and harm to marine life. The Wall Street Journal estimated that Americans use and discard 100 billion plastic bags every year; and the EPA found that less than five percent are recycled.
A study on reusable bags found that they were rarely washed and, as a result, bacteria were found in almost all the bags studied, and 12 percent contained E. However, the problem of microplastics and their impact on our food chain could be more problematic, and the recycling of textiles is easier to do than the normal recycling of plastic bags (impacts on behavior).
