When you walk up to the check-out line at your local supermarket, invariably your bagger will ask you the big question, "paper or plastic?" These days that decision can be a bit controversial, and some cities and stores have even banned plastic bags because of their perceived threat to the environment. In order to understand why these bags are controversial, here is some helpful information.
These bags are made out of plastic, a type of plastic called high-density polyethylene or HDPE for short. One controversy surrounding these bags is that they are produced using two important natural resources, petroleum and natural gas. However, it is noteworthy that the bags are not created from the actual petroleum or gas but from a waste product that is created when we refine these elements for use in running our vehicles and heating our homes.
In addition, some groups also cite a statistic that states it takes about 12 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic bags that are made each year in the United States. This is true and certainly sounds like a lot of oil, until it is compared with the average daily use of oil in the U.S., which is approximately 18 million barrels each day. So in the grand scheme of things, the oil needed to produce all of the plastic bags in the United States is less than we typically use for our vehicles and other uses during a single day.
Of course, HDPE is used to create a huge variety of items and certainly is not limited to grocery bags. For example, if you ever buy milk in a plastic jug, it probably was made out of HDPE. In fact, this is the most common type of packaging for milk globally, even in the nations where the HDPE grocery bags are banned. It's also important for consumers to understand that HDPE products can be recycled and all you have to do is either toss it into your recycling trash can or bring it to a recycling facility.
Another interesting fact about HDPE plastic is that it is a type of plastic known as thermoformed plastic. Thermoforming a process by which a large sheet of plastic is heated up to a point where it will melt and then it is molded to create a specific product.
When it comes to thermoform plastic, there are quite a few different kinds, created out of different polymers. A few actually do biodegrade and while most do not, they all can be recycled and melted down for use over and over. Some types of thermoform plastic that you probably know by name include acrylic and nylon as well as brand names such as Teflon, Styrofoam and Mylar.
These bags are made out of plastic, a type of plastic called high-density polyethylene or HDPE for short. One controversy surrounding these bags is that they are produced using two important natural resources, petroleum and natural gas. However, it is noteworthy that the bags are not created from the actual petroleum or gas but from a waste product that is created when we refine these elements for use in running our vehicles and heating our homes.
In addition, some groups also cite a statistic that states it takes about 12 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic bags that are made each year in the United States. This is true and certainly sounds like a lot of oil, until it is compared with the average daily use of oil in the U.S., which is approximately 18 million barrels each day. So in the grand scheme of things, the oil needed to produce all of the plastic bags in the United States is less than we typically use for our vehicles and other uses during a single day.
Of course, HDPE is used to create a huge variety of items and certainly is not limited to grocery bags. For example, if you ever buy milk in a plastic jug, it probably was made out of HDPE. In fact, this is the most common type of packaging for milk globally, even in the nations where the HDPE grocery bags are banned. It's also important for consumers to understand that HDPE products can be recycled and all you have to do is either toss it into your recycling trash can or bring it to a recycling facility.
Another interesting fact about HDPE plastic is that it is a type of plastic known as thermoformed plastic. Thermoforming a process by which a large sheet of plastic is heated up to a point where it will melt and then it is molded to create a specific product.
When it comes to thermoform plastic, there are quite a few different kinds, created out of different polymers. A few actually do biodegrade and while most do not, they all can be recycled and melted down for use over and over. Some types of thermoform plastic that you probably know by name include acrylic and nylon as well as brand names such as Teflon, Styrofoam and Mylar.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell enjoys blogging about how stuff is made. For further details about custom retail packaging or to find out more about retail product packaging solutions, please check out the Indepak.com site today.
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