How to Recycle Polypropylene Bags

Also known as a polybag, or plastic bags, these bags are a flexible container that is made from thin, flexible, non-woven fabric or plastic textile.

These bags are typically used to contain and transport goods such as food, produce, powders, ice, magazines, chemicals, and waste. However, due to their environmental impacts, many countries around the world are introducing legislation that will phase out the use of lightweight plastic bags.

The patent applications which relate to the production of these bags were introduced in the early 1950s, but it was not until the 1960s that Sten Gustaf Thulin developed the method of forming what we would know as polyprop bags today. Read more on how to recycle polypropylene Bags. Trunel Bags is a leading supplier of produce bags for sale. We also offer secondhand bulk bags as well as plastic sheeting for sale.

How to Recycle Polypropylene Bags Correctly

Most modern plastic bags are made from petroleum products and natural gas, with non-compostable plastic bags taking up to 1,000 years to decompose completely.

Polyprop bags are not biodegradable but photodegrade instead, meaning that they are broken down into smaller toxic parts. If these bags are not disposed of correctly, they can end up in water sources that will lead them to the ocean.

There are more than 300 million plastic bags that end up in the Atlantic Ocean alone, posing significant threats to several species of marine animals. Even though these bags are plastic, they cannot be recycled conventionally as other products are recycled.

This is because these bags cause equipment used at recycling plants to jam, which slows the process and the equipment.

Check the bag for a #2 or #4 stamp

These types of polyprop bags are typically accepted for recycling and the type of stamp indicates what the bag is made of. If the bag does not have a stamp, check its consistency.

If the bags can be torn easily, they can be thrown in the trash – such as food wrappers or the cling wrap that lettuce is wrapped in. However, most plastic bags are made from high-density polyethene and have the #2 symbol whereas low-density bags have a #4 symbol.

Clear the debris from the bag

Check the bag for receipts, crumbs, or anything that may have been left from what the bag was used for. Turn the bag upside down and inside out to ensure that it is empty.

Make sure that all polybags are clean and dry before they are recycled. Before throwing plastic bags away, try to find as many ways as possible for the bag to be reused before throwing it away or recycling it.

Place the bag in a recycling bin if it goes to an appropriate facility or find out where the bags can be dropped off

There are major cities that have the appropriate recycling programs where polyprop bags are recycled properly. However, in smaller areas and towns, where such initiatives are not implemented, people may have to contact local facilities to find out where the closest drop-off area is.

The plastic bags are chipped into pellets where they can either be used to produce new bags, or they are shipped to companies that use recycled plastic to manufacture plastic lumber.

If you liked this article, you might also be interested in the importance of high-quality agriculture bags for crop protection.