From Ecopedia

Overview

Plastic Bag

A plastic bag is a sac-like device made of a thin, flexible plastic film and is used as a container to transport goods or store items, including ice, produce and groceries, waste, chemicals. Plastic bags can be used as packaging materials for goods, shopping purposes to transport goods to and from a location, waste/garbage collection, and various other methods. Typically, these bags may be heat-sealed together or bonded with adhesive for packaging purposes, or they may have one open end for shopping and transportation purposes.

Packaging Materials

Plastic bags can be used for packaging goods such as frozen foods, produce, snacks, hardware, gardening products, etc. Packaging plastics will usually have some kind of color, branding, or design to represent the company selling the particular good.

Shopping Bags

Most shopping outlets provide customers with plastic bags to carry purchased goods out of the store and to the desired location. Typically, these bags will have an enclosed bottom, with an opened top with handles to carry goods. Although freely dispersed in shopping outlets, companies such as Ikea have begun charging consumers for the use of plastic bags in an effort to minimalize usage, while markets such as Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market have begun selling re-usable canvas woven bags, as they are more eco-friendly in the long run.

Waste Collection

Plastic bags have also been used as resource to collect household and industrial waste, and typically have some kind of zip tie or strings to tie the bag shut. Though some manufacturers make bio-degradable trash bin bags, plastic in general does not bio-degrade and therefore takes up space in landfills.

Environmental Impact

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