Why Bags made from Recycled Plastic?

In most scenarios, a bag made from recycled plastic will have a lower carbon cost compared to one made from new plastic or compostable materials, primarily due to reduced energy use in production. However, the overall environmental impact also depends on usage, end of life methods, and the specifics of the recycling and manufacturing processes involved.
Here are some studies that support that recycled plastic bags have a lower carbon footprint than bags made from virgin plastic or compostable materials:
  1. New Zealand Post: Life Cycle Assessment Study of Courier Bags (2021)
    1. Source: NZ Post (www.nzpost.co.nz)
    2. Details: This study compares key factors of courier bag manufacturing, energy use, and end of life. They found that generally a locally produced courier bag from recycled material has the lowest carbon cost, followed closely by courier bag from recycled material made in China.
  2. Plastisac Study (2022)
    • Source: Plastisac (www.plastisac.it)
    • Details: This study compared the carbon footprint of bags made from virgin versus recycled polyethylene. They found that for a specific size of bag (20x40 cm), the virgin bag had an impact of 20.27 g/bag CO2 equivalent, while the recycled bag had an impact of 15.83 g/bag CO2 equivalent, which represents a 21.9% reduction in carbon emissions.
  3. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology:
    • Source: Springer (link.springer.com)
    • Study Title: "Comparative analysis of carbon emission from products of virgin plastics and recycled plastics and their environmental benefits"
    • Details: This study investigated the carbon emissions associated with plastic products made from virgin versus recycled plastics. It concluded that products made from recycled plastics emit significantly less carbon during their production compared to those made from virgin plastics, specifically highlighting examples like converting single-use plastics to pavement tiles.
  4. Sustainable Shopping—Which Bag Is Best? (National Geographic):
    • Details: This source notes that while compostable bags might seem environmentally friendly, their production can be more resource-intensive than plastic bags. Manufacturing compostable bags often requires more energy and water, potentially leading to a higher carbon footprint during production. However, this study didn't specifically focus on recycled plastic but noted that plastic bags, when recycled or reused, have a lower production impact.
  5. Prevented Ocean Plastic (2020):
    • Source: Prevented Ocean Plastic (www.preventedoceanplastic.com)
    • Study Title: "Recycled plastic: an undervalued carbon reduction strategy"
    • Details: This study discusses how replacing virgin plastic production with recycled plastic can reduce carbon emissions. It references research from UC Santa Barbara estimating a reduction in emissions by using recycled materials.
These studies collectively argue that recycling plastic can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with plastic bag production due to reduced energy use in manufacturing, less reliance on new petroleum, and the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions from virgin plastic production. However, they also stress the importance of considering the entire lifecycle of the product, including end-of-life management, to truly assess the environmental benefits.