Plastic bags and film

Additional Information:

Types of plastic bags and films.

• polyethylene(marking 02, HDPE, HDPE and 04, LDPE, LDPE): polyethylene is of high and low density (low and high pressure, respectively). If there is no marking, then you can distinguish one material from another as follows: thin rustling packaging bags and most of T-shirt bags are 02. Soft, as if oily bags, greenhouse, stretch and bubble wrap - 04.
• polypropylene(marking 05, PP, PP): most often such packaging is shiny and “crispy”, easily torn, does not stretch. Cereals, pasta, bread, cookies, etc. are packed in polypropylene. Opaque wrappers from chocolate bars are also PP with the addition of a dye, such packaging is more difficult to recycle, so it is not accepted everywhere.
• composite plastic(marking like C/xx or 07/other)
• biodegradable And pseudo biodegradable
• polyvinyl chloride(PVC, PVC, 03)

Where can I take plastic bags for recycling?

We do not accept all types of packages. For the exact current list, see our instructions!

• packages: packing, T-shirts, ziplock, for shopping
• film: bubble, greenhouse, stretch
• spunbond bags
• "sugar" bags and similar bags, bags
• foam polyethylene
• with markings:

02, HDPE, LDPE, C/02, C/HDPE
04, LDPE, HDPE, C/04, C/LDPE

How to return packages and film?

1. independently to the collection point of the Collector
2. order Collector
3. on the shares of our movement, from which we export to the warehouse of the Collector

Do not accept for processing from individuals:

• "biodegradable" plastic;
• polyvinyl chloride (PVC/PVC/03);
• plastic 07.

On this site, we collect information bit by bit, where to take rare species recyclables and things. We keep the data up-to-date and check the collection points if you are not sure about them.

Most of our activity is based on volunteers, but in order to structure the information, keep it updated and maintain the site, we need the daily work of a content manager. Please, so that we can continue to post relevant information for you!

It's impossible to imagine modern world no plastic items. About a third of all plastic products today are made from polyethylene. Along with the obvious benefits of its use, topical issue remains the search effective ways processing and disposal of this polymer.

Polyethylene (accepted abbreviations - PET, PE) is a thermoplastic polymer that is widely used to create a huge number of goods. Its use began in the 20th century: since the 30s it has been used in the production of telephone cables, since the 50s - as packaging in the food industry.

Today the list of PET products is huge:

• packaging film, bags, garbage bags;
• scotch;
• all kinds of containers: bottles, jars, boxes, canisters, containers, flower pots, etc.;
• pipes for sewerage and gas supply;
• electrical insulation, thermal insulation;
• accumulators, containers for liquid and solid chemicals;
• various types of fencing, etc.

Depending on the technologies, polyethylene of various types and performance properties is obtained and used in modern industry, for example:

• high pressure or low density (abbr. -, LDPE, LDPE - a more plastic type of polyethylene, used for the production of film, cable);
• low pressure or high density (abbr. - HDPE, HDPE - has a more rigid and durable structure);
• polyethylene terephthalate (abbr. - PET, PET, PETE - used only for the production of disposable goods), etc.

What is polyethylene of different density, and what types of packaging are made from it

Manufacturing process of plastic bags

The main types of polyethylene waste and where they come from

The popularity and mass consumption of PE lead to the fact that every day a huge number of used items from it fall into the category of waste:

1. Polyethylene household products. This includes packaging film, bags, bottles, bottles and canisters from household chemicals, waste blisters from medicines and other items used by a person in everyday life. All this is thrown into the ordinary every day. garbage containers for MSW (solid household waste). According to various estimates, the share of polyethylene in MSW is about ten percent of the total volume.
2. PE industrial waste. This, again, is packaging film, all kinds of bags, plastic packaging waste from stores (for example, food boxes), pipes, worn cable braids, etc.
3. Technological marriage at the enterprises for the production of PE products. Its volume can reach up to ten percent of all raw materials produced.

Polyethylene products are cheap and convenient. The most significant "disadvantage" of any type of plastic is the long period of natural decomposition of waste.

According to preliminary estimates by ecologists, the decay time of a polyethylene film or bottle in wildlife is from one hundred to two hundred years. This makes it very real threat the death of all living things under tons of plastic garbage in the near future.

Where to take PET waste?

The bulk of household polyethylene waste ends up in ordinary trash- containers for solid waste, located in the yards of residential buildings. A significant disadvantage of this disposal method is the heavy contamination of PET with food residues, chemicals, dirt, liquids, etc. In the future, the total mass of garbage will need to be sorted, and the plastic itself will require additional cleaning.

Important! Great solution to date is sorting household waste already at the moment of its ejection, when plastic objects are folded into specially designated storage bins.

Unfortunately, while this method, very popular in European countries, in Russia takes root with difficulty:

1. such containers are not yet available in every yard and not even in every settlement;
2. there is no working penal system for violating the sorting rules, and as a result, even with such “distributors”, other types of garbage often end up in the plastic tank.

You can hand over PET waste:

1. For enterprises directly involved in the processing of PET waste, if they accept them themselves.
2. Recycling points operating in every city - they accept waste paper, scrap metal, plastic, etc. Payment for the delivery of plastic will be cheap, but in this way you will make your contribution to the preservation of the environment.

What products are made from recycled polyethylene?

The raw materials obtained as a result of recycling plastics are a cheap and high-quality material for the manufacture of a huge number of new useful goods:

• waste with a short period of use - bottles, disposable containers and packaging - are successfully processed into similar products;
• granules of secondary raw materials serve as an additive to primary polyethylene, for example, in the production of pressure pipes or large volume containers;
• blown bottles, canisters from food products and household chemicals are used for the subsequent production of drainage pipes, wood-polymer composites (fences, decking boards, garden parquet, etc. are made from them);
• film waste from household waste, as well as used film for agricultural purposes, is usually processed into granules for future injection molding products;
• multilayer films as well as cable waste can only be recycled as additives for other pellets, etc.

Depending on the type of PE product, as well as the area where it was used, the methods and equipment used for its recycling will differ significantly.

Recycling of PET products

What does the production of polyethylene waste processing consist of? The full cycle will include several main stages:

Recycling polyethylene at home

Today, the possibility of recycling polyethylene at home occupies many inquisitive minds. For example, there are already developed methods for safe self-incineration of PET containers, proposed by researchers working in the field of ecology.

But there is also alternative view: when burning or even melting plastic, substances harmful to humans and nature are released into the atmosphere. Therefore, self-burning or recycling of polyethylene waste is prohibited; such work can only be carried out by special enterprises with the appropriate license.

PET recycling

Speaking of recycling, today they often mean plastic recycling processes, when recyclables receive " new life and is used to remanufacture products.

Sometimes recycling refers to an alternative to recycling - the physical destruction of waste plastics or their storage in landfills and landfills. Since burning plastic is prohibited, other, more environmentally friendly methods are used to destroy it.

From the point of view of preserving the environment, it is highly effective, for example, - the thermal decomposition of plastics at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment.

However, a huge amount of plastic waste still ends up just in city landfills.

PET waste recycling is a promising direction in the economy, which is also supported by environmentalists. With the development of technology, the recycling of plastic waste is becoming cheaper for the manufacturer, while at the same time ridding the planet of excess plastic, which is difficult to decompose in natural conditions. Environmental risks that arise in the process of recycling cannot be compared with the problems that humanity will face in the near future, since landfills every year becomes more and more.

The packages owe their existence to refined oil and natural gas.
They are highly durable, but also biodegradable. Not even 60 years have passed since the invention and popularization of the first bags, which means that none of them has yet undergone absolute biological decay in natural conditions.
Household packages that have lost their consumer properties and ended up in natural environment, create sustainable pollution throughout the ecosystem. When they are heated and burned, harmful substances are released that are toxic to the entire ecological system.
The plastic bag can be recycled in an industrial environment, only separated from the contents.

Plastic bags.

Cellophane is a transparent fat and waterproof material made from viscose.
The environmental safety of cellophane is due to the high rate of its biological decomposition and the absence of plasticizers in the composition, and the glycerin contained in the composition is harmless to living organisms and, in general, to the environment. These qualities of cellophane revives interest in this type of packaging - when separated from dyes and impurities, it is completely processed by microorganisms and secondary processing is possible.

Oxo biodegradable bags.

In their production, the same polymer raw materials (crushed plastic bottles - flex PET) are used as in the manufacture of plastic bags, but with the addition of degraders. Additives artificially accelerate the process of biodegradation in the environment into carbon, water, trace elements and biomass under the influence of temperature, ultraviolet and oxygen. The decomposition period of oxo-biodegradable packaging is 1-3 years.
Impurities that reduce mechanical strength and contribute to the rapid decay of plastic make it impossible to recycling in its purest form.

Hydro-biodegradable bags.

The basis for their manufacture are food crops - vegetable polymers obtained from food highly starchy crops such as beets, corn, wheat. They are distinguished by high environmental friendliness at all stages of operation, but low strength indicators and high resource costs in production.
The process of complete biological decomposition into carbon and water in 30-70 days, as a result of decomposition, biomass (compost) is formed.
A T-shirt type package is made from natural material; garbage bags and packing bags.

Paper bags. Kraft paper bags.

The raw material for their production is wood or waste paper. They have a short service life, thereby increasing their quantitative consumption and production costs for electricity and water.
The ideal scheme for optimizing production and environmental costs involves the integrated responsibility of the manufacturer and the buyer. Several recycling of one paper bag is possible - wood is used to produce packaging material, which after the expiration date is recycled back into packaging.
At the same time, waste paper is recycled with lower energy costs, and paper, having completed its consumer cycle, decomposes in the soil by microorganisms.

Reusable polyester bags.

Sewn from synthetic artificial material obtained from polymer recycled waste ( recycled plastic). Completely eliminate the need to purchase plastic bags. With daily use, one such bag will last from three to five years and replace several thousand bags.
Polyester products are included in the list of materials permitted by the State Sanitary Inspection of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for contact with food products, non-toxic when burned and decomposed.
Polyester bags are recommended for recycling.

Textile bags.

They are made from plant fibers - jute, cotton, flax, bamboo or recycled materials.
Eco-bags have become not just impersonal shopping containers, but an independent part of the wardrobe.
After completing their cycle of consumption, bags decompose into non-toxic substances.

Each of us can improve the situation with the environment, we just need to be careful about our own garbage and throw it into separate containers for solid waste.

Plastic bags.

Your existence plastic bags owe to refined oil and natural gas. They have high strength, but they are also not biologically decomposed. Not even 60 years have passed since the invention and popularization of the first bags, which means that none of them has yet undergone absolute biological decay in natural conditions. Household bags that have lost their consumer properties and ended up in the natural environment create sustainable pollution of the entire ecosystem. When they are heated and burned, harmful substances are released that are toxic to the entire ecological system. A plastic bag can be recycled in an industrial environment, only separated from the contents.

Plastic bags.

Cellophane is a transparent fat and waterproof material made from viscose. Cellophane is environmentally safe due to its high rate of biological decomposition and the absence of plasticizers, and glycerin containing it is harmless to living organisms and, in general, to the environment. These qualities of cellophane revives interest in this type of packaging - when separated from dyes and impurities, it is completely processed by microorganisms and secondary processing is possible.

Oxo biodegradable bags.

In their production, the same polymer raw materials (crushed plastic bottles - flex PET) are used as in the manufacture of plastic bags, but with the addition of degraders. Additives artificially accelerate the process of biodegradation in the environment into carbon, water, trace elements and biomass under the influence of temperature, ultraviolet and oxygen. The decomposition period of oxo-biodegradable packaging is 1-3 years. Impurities that reduce mechanical strength and contribute to the speedy decay of plastic make it impossible to recycle it in its pure form.

Hydro-biodegradable bags.

The basis for their manufacture are food crops - vegetable polymers obtained from food highly starchy crops such as beets, corn, wheat. They are distinguished by high environmental friendliness at all stages of operation, but low strength indicators and high resource costs in production. The process of complete biological decomposition into carbon and water in 30-70 days, as a result of decomposition, biomass (compost) is formed. A T-shirt type bag is made from natural material; garbage bags and packing bags.

Paper bags. Kraft paper bags.

The raw material for their production is wood or waste paper. They have a short service life, thereby increasing their quantitative consumption and production costs for electricity and water. The ideal scheme for optimizing production and environmental costs includes the integrated responsibility of the manufacturer and the buyer. Several recycling of one paper bag is possible - wood is used to make packaging material, which after the period of use is recycled back into packaging. At the same time, waste paper is recycled with lower energy costs, and paper, having completed its consumer cycle, decomposes in the soil by microorganisms.

Reusable polyester bags.

Sewn from synthetic artificial material obtained from polymeric recycled waste (secondary plastic). Completely eliminate the need to purchase plastic bags. With daily use, one such bag will last from three to five years and replace several thousand bags. Polyester products are included in the list of materials approved by the state sanitary supervision authorities of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for contact with food products, they are non-toxic when burning and decomposing. Polyester bags are recommended for recycling processing.

Textile bags.

They are made from plant fibers - jute, cotton, flax, bamboo or recycled materials. Eco-bags have become not just impersonal shopping containers, but an independent part of the wardrobe. Having completed their consumption cycle, bags decompose into non-toxic substances.

Each of us can improve the situation with the environment, we just need to be careful about our own garbage and throw it into separate containers for solid waste.

flexpet.com

Plastic bags and films | SEPARATE COLLECTION ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT

Everything you wanted to know about packages and didn't hesitate to ask.

There are quite a few companies that process soft polymers, but most of them prefer to work with waste products from large enterprises and look at “household” plastic with distrust. There are good reasons for this: household plastic often contaminated with substances that unpredictably affect the processing process, and with soft packaging washing these substances, it turns out, is more difficult than with solid. Companies naturally do not want to risk expensive equipment and the quality of entire batches. finished products due to impurities in the raw materials and they follow the path of least resistance. Unfortunately, there are still few people willing to invest in new raw material pretreatment technologies that reduce the above-mentioned risks.

Companies that do not impose strict requirements on raw materials also exist, for example, manufacturers of polymer-sand tiles and other building materials are ready to accept even a mixture of different types of soft plastic.

Types of plastic bags and films.

• polyethylene (marking 02, HDPE, HDPE and 04, LDPE, LDPE): polyethylene can be of high and low density (low and high pressure, respectively), if there is no marking, then you can distinguish one material from another as follows: thin rustling packaging bags and large part of the T-shirt packages is 02; and soft, as if oily bags, greenhouse, stretch and air-bubble film - 04.
• polypropylene (marking 05, PP, PP): most often such packaging is shiny and “crispy”, easily torn, does not stretch. Cereals, pasta, bread, cookies, etc. are packed in polypropylene. Opaque wrappers from chocolate bars are also PP with the addition of a dye, such packaging is more difficult to recycle, so it is not accepted everywhere.
• composite plastic (marking type C/xx or 07/other)
• biodegradable and pseudo-biodegradable (be sure to read about the difference in a separate material!)

Don't confuse plastic bags with "cellophane"!

A huge number of people, out of habit, call this word any rustling waterproof bags. In fact, today 99.9% of bags and films are made of plastic - polyethylene (HDPE, LDPE) or polypropylene (PP). Cellophane, as reflected in its name, is a chemically processed cellulose - that is, it is the closest relative of paper and is marked PAP (that is, paper, paper).

Cellophane "boom" occurred in the 70s - 80s. Since the beginning of the 90s, it has been replaced by cheaper and easier-to-manufacture polyethylene. However, if a plastic bag quickly decomposes into organic components, a plastic bag will decompose for about 150 years.

The question of how much more environmentally friendly cellophane is than polyethylene is ambiguous - after all, for the production cellophane bag you need not just connect a couple of molecules, but cut down a living tree and thoroughly process it. However, due to its advantages in terms of reducing the global landfill, this material is slowly re-entering the market. Mixing cellophane with plastic bags and film going for recycling is dangerous - cellulose can flare up in conditions in which plastic cannot catch fire in principle. In addition, if it gets into a tile made from shredded bags, the cellophane will begin to rot, which will cause it to become unusable ahead of time. Therefore, a big request: if you come across a transparent, crisp film marked PAP, send it to the general trash.

Cellophane article on Wikipedia

Where can I take plastic bags for recycling? (Information as of January 2018)

We were able to obtain reliable information about several companies, both large and small, that actually collect, process (and partially recycle) soft plastic from the population. We hope that the list will be supplemented and expanded, including with your help. Write to us if you learn something new!

The company "ExpertVtor" prepares different types recyclable materials, also accepts and independently processes LDPE bags and film, and some time ago they began to accept PP (5) and HDPE (2) packages, but not any (for details, see the table below10. These packages are sorted, pressed by 'ExpertVtor' and sells to other processors.

• stationary point of reception at the design factory "Flacon" st. Bolshaya Novodmitrovskaya, 36, building 15. (to the right of building 15). At the point in work time there is a receiver, but even without it, the point works offline every day and around the clock!
• on the actions of our movement:

The Tsessor company is based in Elektrostal near Moscow and is engaged in the collection and partial processing of recyclable materials, incl. polymer. It accepts any bags / soft polymer packaging, except for foil packaging and the one with markings 3 and 7. During the tour to the Tsessora processing plant, our activists learned that recyclables from stocks are sent to other processors. If the raw material is pre-sorted by type (and color!), then it has a chance for more high level processing than to become an additive in polymer sand tiles. Recyclers that Cessor works with: recyclene.ru, mplastika.ru, etc. Where they accept:

• stationary containers in Elektrostal (see recyclemap.ru map)
• on the actions of our Movement “Separate Collection:

The Ecoline company works under a long-term state contract in the districts of the Central Administrative District and the SAO, declares that in their containers for separate collection it is possible to fold some types of soft packaging (see details in the table below), but has not yet provided information on what happens next.

Project "Glass" from Butovo. Where it takes place: at shares in Butovo in the South-Western Administrative District, Moscow

The company "Sphere of Ecology" at its collection point on "Artplay" currently accepts only transparent packaging and bubble wrap LDPE (04). Where he receives: Moscow, Nizhnyaya Syromyatnicheskaya st., 10, building 3 (from 9 to 19, without lunch and days off)

type of soft packaging	company
	ExpertVtor	Cessor	Ecoline	Glass	Sphere of Ecology
HDPE, HDPE, 02, 2, transparent	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
HDPE, HDPE, 02, 2, opaque	Yes	Yes	?	No	No
LDPE,PVD, 04, 4, transparent	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
LDPE,PVD, 04, 4, opaque	Yes	Yes	?	No	No
PP, PP, 05, 5, transparent	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
PP, PP, 05, 5, opaque	Yes	Yes	?	No	No
PVC/PVC/3	No	No	No	No	No
7(other)	No	No	No	No	No
with labels, price tags	No	No	No	No	No
dirty/greasy/crumbs	No	No	No	No	No
“biodegradable” bags	No	No	No	No	No
foil	No	No	No	No	No
non-foiled combined plastic (marking type C/xx)	No	No	No	No	No

How bags and film mixtures are recycled (video)

Recycling bags and films

The problem of plastic bags and examples of solutions in the world.

The key components in PE bags are oil and natural gas. About 4% of world oil production is spent on their production. At the same time, the average lifespan of a package is 20 minutes, and decomposition is from 100 years.

Few people think that this handy invention creates a huge number of problems, kills millions of birds and animals every year, and sometimes even leads to floods.

Now more than 150 million tons of plastic pollute the world's oceans, said the British environmental NGO Ellen Macarthur Foundation.

The problem of used bags in the world is already so acute that various measures are being taken to combat environmental pollution with polyethylene, and about 40 countries have already introduced a ban or restriction on the sale and production of plastic bags:

IN European Union On April 16, 2014, a directive was adopted to reduce the number of plastic bags by 50% by 2017 and by 80% by 2019.

Denmark. In 1994, a tax was introduced on the free distribution of plastic bags. After that, demand for it fell by 90%.

Germany. The disposal of the bags is paid by the consumers, while the sellers and distributors are responsible for the collection and recycling.

Ireland. An "environmental" tax has been introduced. As a result, package consumption has decreased by 90%.

Singapore, Bangladesh, Taiwan. A total ban on the use of plastic bags has been introduced. The reason for this was the facts of sewage blockage and blocking of river beds with plastic. Recall that in Bangladesh, plastic bags were the main cause of floods in 1988 and 1998, which flooded 2/3 of the country.

Tanzania. Here, for the production, import or sale of plastic bags, they are fined $ 2,000 or imprisoned for a year.

Zanzibar. The import of plastic bags is prohibited.

Australia. Since January 2004, on Kangaroo Island, the authorities have introduced a ban on plastic bags. By the end of 2008, there was an outright ban on the use of plastic bags in supermarkets across the country.

England. Here, the population has been using biodegradable bags since 2004.

Latvia. A tax on disposable bags is used to reduce their use.

Finland. In this advanced country, there are machines in stores for recycling and producing new plastic.

China. From June 1, 2008, it is forbidden to produce, sell and use plastic bags with a film thickness of less than 0.025 mm, and their free distribution will be prohibited in shops and supermarkets.

Italy. Since January 1, 2011, the use of plastic bags has been banned in the country. Instead, they use reusable bags or biopackages.

Rwanda. Stores around the country have banned the distribution of plastic bags to customers. Local police on the street stops those who dare to walk with a bag in their hands. Environment Minister Drosella Mugorevera said some supermarkets that failed to comply with the law had their trading licenses revoked.

India. Under the new law, any citizen who uses plastic bags can be imprisoned for up to 7 years or fined up to 100,000 rupees, equivalent to 2,000 US dollars. This ban was introduced following the example of South Africa.

Egypt. The ban on the use of plastic bags was introduced in 2008. The authorities decided to take these measures in order to preserve the unique ecosystem of the Red Sea, where plastic bags thrown into the sea are the first to suffer Coral reefs.

France. In 2017, France passed a ban on single-use plastic bags (less than 10 liters capacity and less than 50 microns thick - that's a millionth of a meter) that are distributed in large supermarkets around the world. This is just a part big program The European Union is against the use of plastic, where they already understand that it is he who has a significant impact on the environment.

Russia. There are no official restrictions on the use of plastic bags in our country. However, in Russia, plastic bags have recently been banned from being called “biodegradable”. Unfortunately, we are still very far from the ban on plastic bags. Meanwhile, in the capital alone, about a hundred thousand tons of plastic bags are used every year, and hardly a third of this amount is disposed of (most often through conventional burial).

What to do?

rsbor-msk.ru

from collection to recycled plastic

Home » Garbage and waste

Recycling plastic bags is a rising trend in solving waste problems, but there is still room for improvement, according to experts in the field of waste disposal. More and more grocery stores are joining the plastic bag recycling program, which plays into important role. Here are some important facts about recycling plastic bags.

Total recycling of waste plastics may grow

About 13 percent of all plastic bags, plastic film and PET bottles are recycled in 2014, according to the State Environmental Protection Agency. Polyethylene film is used in a wide variety of products, including, for example, packaging materials. The recycling rate for plastic bags is much lower than that for paper and metal or recycling plastic bottles. Almost 60 percent of all metals are recycled in 2014, according to the Agency, while more than 50 percent of paper is recycled in the same year.

Recycling plastic bags: Goals. The Association of Manufacturers of Plastic Products, which includes most plastic bag companies in Russia, has set a goal of 40 percent recycling of plastic bags and films by 2018. Achieving this goal will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save electricity to heat 200,000 homes each year, and reduce waste by 100 million kilograms annually.

The danger of plastic bags

One of the most great dangers plastic bags becomes a co-pollution and energy wasted in the original manufacturing process, which mainly uses natural gas. Recycling plastic bags at a waste sorting station, along with many other products made from recycled plastic, a waste disposal company offers a much cleaner production. The amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere is reduced by 50 percent, and the energy reduction reaches 70 percent in the process of plastic recycling.

Plastic bags are also responsible for hundreds of thousands of animal deaths at sea and on land. sea ​​turtles extremely vulnerable because the floating plastic bags are like jellyfish, the main food source for turtles. Other marine animals, as well as dogs, goats, cows and other animals on land, have died after eating plastic bags.

The use of recycled plastic

The recycling process of plastic bags and other plastics results in recycled plastic and returns clean plastic granules used to make products ranging from carpets to ski jacket insulation, composite lumber and flooring.

meclean.ru

Where to put plastic bags. Solution Options

Plastic bags in the kitchen are a common thing. They appear in the house with products from shops and supermarkets and simply in the form of packaging. Each of us would like to reduce the negative impact of polyethylene on environment, and for this he uses plastic bags for the second, and even for the third time. So you have to hide them all over the kitchen in order to use them again after a while. But the number of plastic bags waiting to be reused is growing exponentially, and it's starting to get annoying. But only to make room for new plastic bags. To bring your nervous system in order, read our tips on where to put plastic bags and how to store plastic bags.

ecological option.

Almost every city has a recycling center. These points accept used batteries, plastic, polyethylene, rubber tires, used batteries. To find where to drop off plastic bags in your city, just google the plastic collection points on the Internet. Collect all the bags in a large bag (sorry for the tautology) and go to donate. In addition to the sense of satisfaction gained from contributing to ecological state your city, you will receive money from the recyclers. Let small, but still.

Read about the creation, use and disposal of plastic bags on the Wikipedia website.

Economical option.

No hardware store will offer you an option on how to store plastic bags at home. If you visit online stores, you can choose the option that suits you best, in which to store plastic bags - a kind of organizer in which cellophane bags are placed from above, and removed through a special hole. Such containers from the Internet can be placed on the table, hung on a hook on the work wall, on the doorknob, or hung in a niche under the sink. They are made of plastic or metal, have all kinds of shapes and colors. But, each of us knows how to count money. And no one needs additional expenses in the form of buying a container for cellophane. Therefore, we suggest choosing for yourself not only where to store plastic bags, but also how. It is convenient to store plastic bags in:

• paper napkin packaging. Those who do not use such napkins can successfully use a tea box. In general, any cardboard, metal, plastic box will do. The compact size allows you to keep such a container in any kitchen drawer. To ensure maximum convenience, you can cut a hole in the top of the box.
• plastic bottle. Cut off the bottom and neck of the bottle (determine the required volume yourself). Then put the bags in it and use it with pleasure. Needlewomen and creative personalities can decorate the bottle with decor. This design is also convenient because it can be attached from the inside of any kitchen door.
• continuing the theme plastic bottle, for the role of a package store, a container for liquid detergent or washing powder is suitable.
• knitted bag. It costs nothing for needlewomen to crochet or knit a cellophane storage bag from the remnants of yarn. If in your house there is an old knitted thing that no one is going to wear, then you can make a storage of plastic bags from the sleeve of the product. On both sides of the cut off sleeve, stretch the lace or braid and tighten. It will turn out something like sweets or sausages (as you like).
• embroidered bag-doll. To make such a doll, we turn on the imagination and creatively approach the execution of storage for cellophane. In the finished doll, the sewing pattern of which is on the Internet, we place a capacious bag under the skirt. In this bag we will store the packages. To prevent them from falling out, we tighten the bottom of the bag with an elastic band.
• knitted bag made of plastic bags. If you know how to knit, then instead of yarn to create a bag storage, use cellophane. This, by the way, to the question of where you can use plastic bags.
• sleeve from paper towels or foil. If there are not too many bags, then you can hide them in a cardboard sleeve remaining after using paper towels or foil. You can store these sticks with cellophane bags inside anywhere.
• spice basket in the package. In such a container, which is a colored basket, it is convenient to store folded large bags in an upright position, having previously bandaged them with a rubber band.

How to compactly fold plastic bags.

We have decided on the type of cellophane storage. However, we all understand that if you try to cram all the bags together, then the capacity suffers. But if you fold the bags compactly, then much more bags will fit into the organizer or storage bag. Folding in a neat order will not only increase the number of bags in the “bag storage”, but also align them.

• triangle folding. Level the bag on a flat surface. Fold in half lengthwise, and then a couple more times. Grasping the bottom edge of the bag from the fold, bend it into a triangle. Next, continue to bend the triangle to the very top. Such a tiny triangle takes up little space.

if you fold a large plastic bag with handles into a triangle, then fill the handles of the bag into a triangle. Then they won't hang out.

• rolling into a tube. We level the bag on the table, and then fold it several times to make a strip. We wrap the strip around two fingers, and fix the bag with the wrapped handles of the package. To do this, we wrap the handles around the ring from the bag.

Rigid large packages are simply folded in half or three. This will be the solution to the problem of how to fold plastic bags into a box. Any of these methods of folding cellophane allows you to identify torn, dirty or old bags during the folding process and dispose of them.

How can plastic bags be used?

It is not only possible, but also necessary to give a second life to cellophane bags (we don’t keep them in vain?). Plastic bags can be used for:

• cleaning up after pets while walking on the street. When you go out for a walk with your four-legged pet, put a few plastic bags in your pocket to use as gloves when cleaning up after the animal.
• work in the horticultural area. Putting such a cellophane bag on your palm, you can safely dig in the ground without fear of getting your hands dirty.
• garbage. Do not buy special garbage bags, but use the used bags available in your house.
• protect brushes from drying out. After working with paints and varnishes, wrap the brush with a bag so that it does not dry out.
• sending a parcel by mail. Wrap the parcel or parcel in bags, then the recipient will receive the item or thing you sent in integrity and safety.
• warming plants in the offseason. Many people know how dangerous spring frosts are. Therefore, you can cover seedlings with bags for the night. A kind of mini-greenhouse will protect young sensitive plants.
• knitting bags and rugs. Colored polyethylene rugs will be appropriate in the hallway. And in a plastic bag you can not only store old bags, but also go to the grocery store with it.
• repeat purchases. Everything is clear here.
• visits to medical institutions. Plastic bags can be used instead of shoe covers. By putting bags on your shoes, save on shoe covers. You still have to throw away this and that.

What can replace plastic bags.

You can reduce the amount of cellophane in the kitchen and at home by using instead of bags:

• paper bags.
• translucent pouches sewn from tulle.
• big shopping bags from environmentally friendly materials. Such bags are sold in shops and supermarkets near the cash register.
• foil. Wrapping sandwiches and other foods in foil is much more convenient.
• food film. Similar to the previous point.

As practice shows, you cannot do without plastic bags, but it is possible to reduce the amount of polyethylene used and tidy up your kitchen.

Video on how to conveniently store packages

Plastic bags are made from the same substance as all plastic: oil.

Oil materials and products have two main disadvantages: significant amounts of pollution are released during production, and the product is not biodegradable.

In other words, it is difficult to produce and almost impossible to get rid of once produced.

According to the Natural Environment website, between 60 million and 100 million barrels of oil is required to produce plastic bags per year worldwide, and it will take about 400 years for them to completely decompose.

Therefore, plastic bags are best recycled.

The recycling symbol (three closed arrows) is found on most plastic products, but is often a marketing gimmick.

Many packages built by factories cannot be recycled. Most of them end up in landfills. to lie there for the next hundreds of years.

There are, however, biodegradable packages, but in this topic, too, not everything is clear. Is it true that they decompose in nature, or is this another trick to increase sales, we figured it out.

Plastic is a strong, lightweight and cheap material. It can be easily molded into a wide range of products.

Production and use of plastic bags increased over the past 10 years.

Therefore, their reuse, recovery and recycling are extremely important.

You can recycle packages made from:

• polyethylene;
• cellophane;
• other polymers.

Polyethylene

Recycling of polyethylene is important because in most cases it is not biodegradable and can accumulate in landfills for decades. At the same time, the processing of polyethylene is quite easy to implement.

Due to the composition of the waste plastic can be melted to a liquid state.

As it hardens, it is reshaped or extruded, making the material reusable.

Therefore, the recycling of plastic bags can lead to the creation of new, durable products that also are cost effective and environmentally friendly.

Recyclable polyethylene includes bags:

• for shopping;
• from under milk, kefir, etc.;
• for garbage;
• all types of thin and very soft bags are made of low density polyethylene.

Cellophane

As a rule, cellophane is not recyclable, although it can be considered a recyclable material with scientific point vision.

The plastic bag decomposes naturally (because it is not plastic). Therefore, for disposal, it is better to put it in compost.

In the production of cellophane use carbon disulfide and sulfuric acid which may cause contamination.

Therefore, it is necessary to limit burst packets and make the most of each.

Products from other polymers

From films used to make plastic bags, the most common four polymers:

1. High density polyethylene (HDPE).
2. Medium density polyethylene (MDPE).
3. Low density polyethylene (LDPE).
4. Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE).

The vast majority of grocery shopping bags are made from HDPE.

Characteristics of HDPE:

• moderate opacity;
• tendency to bruises;
• high strength;
• lack of ability to stretch.

High-density polyethylene bags tear easily, but because of their strength, they are well suited for use as grocery bags, clothing, and packaging.

PESP resins are less opaque than HDPE, but not as transparent as LDPE.

Bags made from PESP do not stretch and do not have high strength.

PESP is used in consumer packaging for paper products such as paper towels and toilet paper, etc.

LDPE is used to make bags with moderate tensile and strength properties and a high degree of transparency.

LLDPE is slightly thinner than LDPE and has an elastic consistency.

This material usually feels tacky and is used as a stretch film.

All these raw materials are recycled in waste disposal factories. More durable plastic is not recyclable because the material clogs sorting equipment at processing facilities, which leads to its breakdown or stoppage.

Processing technology and equipment

The simplest of the plastic bag recycling processes includes the processes:

• collection;
• sorting;
• grinding;
• flushing;
• swimming trunks;
• granulation.

Manufacturing processes vary depending on the composition or type plastic.

Most processing plants operate in two phases:

1. Automatic plastic sorting or manual sorting to eliminate all contaminants from the plastic waste stream.
2. Melting the plastic directly into a new shape or grinding it into flakes, then melting it before final processing into pellets.

For recycling plastic bags the following equipment is involved:

• sorting plant;
• plastic injection molding machines;
• extrusion machines
• installations for blow and vacuum molding;
• molding and thermoforming equipment;
• other equipment depending on the level of production.

Disposal of packages at home

Besides that plastic bags reusable and reusable in the kitchen, at home and in the garden, they can also be recycled at home. The result is the desired durable plastic sheets for crafts and further use.

To do this, you need accumulated plastic bags (at least 100 pieces), ordinary parchment for baking, an iron and scissors, and an oven.

The bags must be pre-washed and dried. It is better to use HDPE bags, and color and patterns don't matter.

Having cut off the handles, the bottom and cutting the side, we add the resulting rectangles in layers. The layer should consist of no more than 5 packages.

On a heat-resistant surface (plywood, OSB) we place a large sheet of parchment, fold the first 5 bags on top and lay another sheet of parchment.

iron at average temperature ironing the sheets starting from the middle towards the edges. If the sheets are poorly fused, then we increase the temperature, if holes appear, we reduce it.

Having chosen the desired temperature, we iron the remaining stacks of sheets.

Next comes the adhesion of five-layer sheets to each other. We also iron the first two five-layer sheets, but with more high temperature. On the resulting we impose the next five-layer soldering and iron it again.

Sheets must be added to the thickness you need, applying to different sides of the soldered stack (i.e., it is better to turn over).

The sheets are quite dense, so already a five-layer soldering can be applied anywhere you want.

But for better sheets they need bake in the oven:

1. Place on a baking sheet parchment.
2. We lay out a multilayer briquette on parchment.
3. Cover with a sheet of parchment.
4. Place a baking sheet on top as well.
5. Place on the top tray a couple of bricks for weighting.
6. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes at 200°C.
7. We take it out and wait until it cools down, without removing the bricks.
8. When cool, check the edges of the polyethylene. They must be uniform.. If not, place in the oven at a higher temperature up to 230 ° C.
9. For the received briquettes trim the edges.
10. We use recycled polyethylene.

Related videos

We offer you to watch a video about the disposal of plastic bags:

Conclusion

The goal of plastic bag recycling is to reduce plastic pollution rates while reducing the cost of purchasing start-up materials for the manufacture of new plastic products.

This approach helps to save energy and frees the environment from plastic bag pollution, and reusing polyethylene at home will save on the cost of buying some things and materials.

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