GreenGuardian.com

overview

A staple in most workplaces, plastic waste bags offer an ideal opportunity for environmentally preferable purchasingThe act and the function of responsibility for the acquisition of equipment, materials, supplies, and services. In a narrow sense, the term describes the process of buying. In a broader sense, the term describes determining the need, selecting the supplier, arriving at a fair and reasonable price and terms, preparing the contract or purchase order, and following up to ensure timely delivery.. Whether for use in trash cans or recycling bins, high quality recycled-content plastic waste bags are widely available. Their use conserves energy and promotes recycling. Workplaces can save money by instructing staff to replace bags only when they are too dirty or full for the work setting in which they are used.

laws & guidelines

Federal procurement guidelines resulting from an Executive Order recommend plastic waste bags contain 10% to 100% post-consumer plastic. State and local governments are encouraged to use federal procurement guidelines.

performance

Any bag can fail if stressed beyond its intended use. Performance features such as puncture and tear resistance should be reviewed before choosing any bag, regardless of whether it has recycled content. Recycled-content bags that meet D882 ASTM standards will perform properly under normal service requirements. When purchasing bags, work with the vendor to determine the size, thickness, durability and other performance requirements that are appropriate for your application.

availability

The availability of bags featuring recycled content is somewhat dependent on the type of bag. For bags ranging in capacity from 7 to 56 gallons and in thickness from 0.35 to 1.35 millimeters, products are widely available with up to 100% post-consumer recycled-content plastic. However, recycled content may be difficult to find in certain colors, sizes, and thicknesses. Moreover, specialty bags - such as food service, laboratory, and hospital waste bags - may have requirements that limit recycled content.

cost

The cost of recycled-content plastic waste bags may be higher or lower than the price of virgin content bags, depending on the type and the vendor. As with any purchasing decision, it is important to explore multiple vendors to get the best price.

specifications

See Appendix G-3 for specifications on product performance. Use the following or similar language to specify recycled content:

"LDPE and LLDPE bags must contain a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled material."

The State of Minnesota includes the following environmental safety language in its specifications:

"Bags shall not contain lead. Bags shall be nontoxic when incinerated, disposed in a landfill, or disposed in composting."

vendors

Minnesota State Contracts
The state contract for plastic waste bags offers two distributors. Only one, Apache Group of Minnesota, offers plastic waste bags with recycled content. These bags are brand named E-bag and VP-bag. The E-bag contains 10% post-consumer content and 25% total recycled content, while the VP-bag can contain up to 75% recycled content. For more information, contact:

Apache Group of Minnesota
Arden Hills, MN
651/633-5555
fax: 651/633-1118

It is important to specify recycled content because many plastic waste bags available from the state contract do not contain recycled content. See Cooperative Purchasing Venture for information on accessing this contract.

• B-298 (5) Bags: Plastic Trash.

U.S. Communities Program
Counties, cities and schools may join the national U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance to access a contract with Office Depot. See Cooperative Purchasing - U.S. Communities for information on this program, or visit the U.S. Communities web site. Plastic waste bags with recycled content are available at a discount, and orders may be placed over the Internet.

Office Supply Outlets
Many sizes and styles of recycled-content plastic waste bags are available from most office supply catalogs and outlets. Typically, office supply catalogs mark recycled-content products with a green recycling symbol. When shopping office supply stores, check the packaging or shelf tags for information on whether the product has recycled content, and what percentage is post-consumer recycled content.

Manufacturers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains a list of manufacturers and suppliers of plastic waste bags containing recycled content through its Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines program. The following Midwest companies manufacturer recycled-content plastic waste bags; call the manufacturer for a list of distributors.

Petoskey Plastic
Petoskey, MI
231/347-2602 or 800/999-6556
fax: 231/347-2878
Product: 25% to 100% post-consumer content plastic waste bags.

Resourceful Bag and Tag
Palos Heights, IL
800/872-8241
fax: 708/489-2260
Product: Up to 10% post-consumer content and 100% post-industrial content plastic waste bags.

Strout Plastics
Bloomington, MN
952/881-8673
fax: 952/881-9617
Product: Up to 100% post-consumer content plastic waste bags.

Strout Plastics' BAGS AGAIN ^TM Program
The Mall of America sends all of its recycled plastic to Strout Plastics in Bloomington, Minnesota, to be remanufactured into plastic shopping bags for use by the mall's retailers, making Strout Plastics one of the Midwest's largest recyclers of polyethylene plastic.

Tyco Plastics
Bloomington, MN
952/884-7281
952/885-9317
Product: Ruffies, 13 gallon recycled-content material.

resources

success stories