Spill the beans... on uses for old plastic carrier bags

41_and_i_know_it

give to charity shops who always need them, broken ones recycle.

bundance

kittiej wrote: »

QUOTE]As degradable bags are still harmful to the environment, and wildlife, what is the point of them?

@ Bundance

I think retailers were looking for an end of pipe solution to the issue of carrier bags taking up so much space at landfill sites hence the idea of the bags breaking down into smaller pieces. The thing is the bags need light as part of the breaking down process and being buried at the bottom of a heap of rubbish hasn't enabled this to happen so it's sort of back fired *rolls eyes*

HTH a bit.[/QUOTE]
Thank you.

kittiej

Technically what we are talking about here is "oxo-degradable" plastics. These are plastics made to degrade in the presence of oxygen and sunlight, thanks to the addition of tiny amounts of metals like cobalt, iron or manganese.

Referencing Greenwash (the guardian)

I have also seen other metals like lead and cadmium being used.
I have been looking for a link to this but cannot seem to find it on the net which makes me think it is something I saw at work :eek: which is a worry.

Maybe switching to cardboard boxes would be a better way to transport products from store to door in the boot of your car? I won't harp on about transport costs to the environment lol.

toadfinder

The thicker/stronger ones make great packaging when selling old clothes on ebay - also squash flatter than a jiffy bag so you can sometimes post things as large letter (cheaper) rather than parcel. Just be sure to tape the ends/rips up thoroughly!

bundance

I would like to know what the welsh wrap their sloppy non compostable rubbish in, now carrier bags are not used there please?

ZsaZsa

bundance wrote: »

I would like to know what the welsh wrap their sloppy non compostable rubbish in, now carrier bags are not used there please?

We do still have carrier bags, we just have to pay for them.

My rubbish goes in a binbag

bundance

ZsaZsa wrote: »

We do still have carrier bags, we just have to pay for them.

My rubbish goes in a binbag

But doesn't the binbag get smelly.

I would wrap my scraps in newspaper but as I live in an upper floor flat, after a few days in hot weather it gets pongy.

bluebag

ZsaZsa wrote: »

We do still have carrier bags, we just have to pay for them.

My rubbish goes in a binbag

Sadly bin bags are heavier so take more fuel to transport and are usually single use. They also have up to 70 per cent more plastic in and so are less degradable.

I suppose there is no easy answer, less waste all round maybe?

I think a lot of the problem is we tend to shop in 'big batches' whereas in the old times shopping was done, mainly daily, in smaller and more manageable quantities.

Everyone seemed to burn all the rubbish on the coal fire too.

*zippy*

bundance wrote: »

But doesn't the binbag get smelly.

I would wrap my scraps in newspaper but as I live in an upper floor flat, after a few days in hot weather it gets pongy.

Most food is recycled, we have compost bin and then non compostable food is collected in a seperate small bin, with the plastic, tins and newspapers/card also recycled there isn't that much going into our bin.

It's amazing to see the difference the charge has made here, at the time I thought they should have made it a higher price like they have in Ireland, but it has worked, I work in a shop and we only sell a few paper bags a day now, no plastic and that's often because we have a lot of tourists.

bundance

I live in an upper floor flat but we have a bin area downstairs where all of our gas meters are.
The old man downstairs complains when the bins smell cos the rubbish is not wrapped up properly