Sounds catchy doesn’t it? We saw this headline on a few websites recently and discussed in social media. We all want the perfect solution for our retail bags. But can this be true? … you just may be surprised.
Believe it or not, there actually is some truth to this one. Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) is a white, chalk-like mineral derived from trillions of ancient shellfish accumulated in the remains of prehistoric seas. The carbonate is mined underground and is used in many different industrial applications, one of which is an additive or “filler” for Polyethylene products, a.k.a. “plastic bags”.
Nashville Wraps has been selling PE bags containing up to 15% carbonate for years. It is an industry-wide standard and has been for as long as we can remember. It’s just one of those obscure pieces of information that we decided not to sensationalize. It’s because we are not into greenwashing our customers.
Bags from Trash
Only a few years ago our nation recycled less than 3% of all PE; today it is 14% and growing. Recycling plastic bags and containers is such an efficient way to use this resource. I have literally taken trashed plastic bags and put them into a recycling machine, and less that 45 minutes later saw new bags being made from the old. Here is the video, in fact: How Plastic Bags Are Recycled.
Our Polyethylene (plastic) bags today are made with a high percentage of recycled PE, and depending on the thickness of the bags, up to 15% of Calcium Carbonate (those shellfish). Additionally, Nashville Wraps uses an additive in many of our plastic bags which assists them in breaking down in the environment. Plastic bags get bad press, but it is an undeserved reputation.
Recycled polyethylene is the ultimate reusable bag. When we recycle them they have a near-unlimited life and get recreated over and over again without any side effects, with very low energy consumption and no pollution to the air or water.
Nashville Wraps and its environmentally-conscious suppliers are working towards real, practical and lasting solutions for our country in the areas of retail packaging products. Reusing and recycling plastic bags makes more and more sense as each day passes by. More and more people are recycling at home, work and through the places we shop.
Robby Meadows
Nashville Wraps
Additional resources: Recycled Plastic Bags from Trash – The Ultimate Reusable Bag – Nashville Wraps Eco-Friendly Packaging Products
that plastic packaging you use is incredible. we use recylable products in our plastics too. Certainly could use this throughout this world. Thank you for this important post.
Wow, that’s really cool. I wasn’t aware that the bags could be recycled indefinitely. If only more people actually recycled them…
Observation: if the stuff is mined (=extractive industry), disturbing the substrate of the ocean etc, then it really isn’t so eco-friendly.
The oceans that calcium carbonate are mined from are hundreds of thousands of years old and long dried up under places like Utah and Nevada.
This is why I am a loyal Nashville Wraps customer: You stay up-to-date on what is best for our Earth and make your products accordingly. Keep up the good work!