Stewardship Tip Apr 6th, 2010- Recycle Plastic Bags
Plastic grocery bags come in Type 2 (high-density polyethylene film – HDPE) and Type 4 (low density or linear-low density polyethylene film – LDPE/LLDPE). Both types can, and should, be recycled.
Many supermarkets and larger retailers collect plastic bags for recycling and will have a recycling bin in the lobby. Gather the bags you have around the house and take them to your local retailer for recycling.
Exclude any plastic bags that are dark in color or bags that have handles or drawstrings. Plastic food packaging and plastic food wrap cannot be recycled. Make sure any bags that you submit are clean, dry, and free of debris. This is important, bags that contain foreign objects will contaminate the plastic, and will end up in the trash rather than being recycled.
Also, become a consumer of post-consumer, recycled plastics. Look for goods manufactured from recycled plastic bags. Recycled plastic bags are used to manufacture construction materials, patio furniture, handbags, clothing, garbage cans, and, of all things, plastic bags.
Why it is important to the fish: We all see plastic bags littering the roads, fields, and woodlands every day. These areas, sadly, may not be their final resting place. Plastic bags will find their own level, just as water will, and many have settled in the Pacific Ocean in what has become known as the great Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The “Patch” includes of high concentrations of plastics, including plastic bags, that have broken down and are present in high concentrations.
Scientists are just beginning to understand the relationship between plastics and the ocean. There is evidence that indicates that plastic debris attracts and accumulates hydrophobic organic toxins such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in concentrations 100,000-1,000,000 times more than one would find in normal seawater. Additionally, research is being conducted that suggests that toxins may be transferred from plastics, to sediment, to benthic-feeding invertebrates, and on up the food chain.
That’s a lot to digest on a Tuesday morning. One thing we do know is that plastics are best kept out of the environment. The solution to the problem is pretty easy…recycle your plastic bags.
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Rising demand for our weekly Stewardship Tip and a new partnership with Fly Cast America now makes the Stewardship Tip available in Spanish. Ahora, reciba el Stewardship Tip en español. Gentileza de Fly Cast America.
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