Frequently Asked Questions
9. What are plastic bags recycled into?
According to Sainsburys Customer Service department, most of the "150 million bags that are recycled through us... are turned into black plastic refuse sacks."
Plastic bags to plastic bags, possibly via China where much of this is done - maybe not so virtuous!
And John Lewis Partnership / Waitrose tell us:
”Carrier bags brought back are returned to Bracknell, one of Waitrose’s distribution centres, where they are sent for recycling in the UK along with other polythene generated at the distribution centre. The mixed plastic are converted into small pellets which are then melted down to make boards that are, for example, typically used as hoardings and for cable protection. Some of the material is also used in the production of outdoor furniture such as benches.”
From reusablebags.com, on the economics of recycling:
For example, it costs $4,000 to process and recycle 1 ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold on the commodities market for $32 (Jared Blumenfeld, director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment as reported by Christian Science Monitor).
Plastic. Where do you think it goes?
