| Carrier Bag Tax Info |
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The "Greenies" would have us believe that "normal" carrier bags are resident evil to the environment when in FACT the opposite is true !! "Normal" carrier bags are 100% recyclable - and they are NOT toxic. There are thousands of applications for recycled polymers but at present, very few councils have a facility for recycling and the average housewife, if we are truthful, can’t be bothered. Current price for “scrap carriers” is in the region of £350 per Tonne - so the councils could actually make money from recycling & perhaps reduce our council tax! The bags we manufacture are 100% recyclable and carry that logo. Degradable bags: There are 3 different types of which only 1 is truly degradable. It is starch based, not readily available and horrendously expensive. However, this starch is acquired from high yield crops so the questions of cutting down swathes of rain forests to plant these crops, CO2 emissions in harvesting and the carbon footprint to get it here, more than cancels out the benefit. Furthermore is it ethical that we should be harvesting crops for other end needs when millions in the world are starving? The other 2 are Photodegradable and Biodegradable. These are still “oil” based films, the same as standard carriers but have a 1% additive which accelerates polymer breakdown, Photodegradable by UV (sun) rays and Biodegradable by enzymes in the soil. However, the soil must be “active” for Bios to work i.e. Bacteria BUT this is also true for conventional films and they too break down with UV. Neither of these 2 so called “Degradable” films are safe for composting! So there must be some nasties there. Furthermore, these films ARE NOT recyclable and should they contaminate conventional films they will render that film non recyclable. Bio films are more expensive and not as strong, nor suitable for food use. Don’t get me wrong, we do produce these films on request but why destroy a valuable, clean, strong, recyclable product by adding toxic chemicals to it? We also believe that Biodegradables give out the wrong message and encourages our rampant disposable society attitudes. Fabric, Cotton, Nylon and Jute bags are predominately imported from the Far East and Asia. Jute in particular comes from India and places visited are disgusting considering most companies that now sell these, recommend them suitable for FOOD USE. Hygiene & quality controls are non existent and the exploit of child labour unethical. Paper: If made from virgin paper then there is forest harvestation, carbon footprint, chemicals etc. to be considered. If made from recycled paper, the bleaches and chemicals for recycling are pollutants and exude huge amounts of ozone into the atmosphere. Both of these are bulky to transport so again - larger carbon footprint. Paper bags are not as practical or robust, especially with UK weather. It is very seldom that a paper bag is re-used and by its composition is unsuitable for recycling so it ends up in landfill. What’s the WORST thing to send to landfill? Correct, PAPER - it gives off copious amounts of methane!! Visit www.carrierbagtax.com and read for yourself the TRUTH about carrier bags. |