FAQ Category: Life Cycle of Carrier Bags
3 posts
The report concluded that recycling and composting of carrier bags only result in a small reduction in global warming potential and abiotic depletion. Instead, the key determinant of the environmental impact of carrier bags is the degree to which they are re-used.
The environmental impact of a range of bag materials (including HDPE, LDPE, biopolymer (starch-polyester), non-woven PP, paper & cotton bags) was assessed, concluding that HDPE bags have the lowest overall environmental impact. Although alternative materials to plastics, such as paper, cotton and biopolymers, are frequently touted as being more environmentally-friendly […]