Plastic Bags. (Recyclable Film) NERC Patty Moore Consultant to American Chemistry Council

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1 Plastic Bags (Recyclable Film) NERC 2008 Patty Moore Consultant to American Chemistry Council

2 Overview Environmental Considerations Film Marketplace Recycling Challenges Policy Options Recycling Opportunities/Resources

3 Considerations: Quick Overview Paper Bioplastic HDPE/LDP E Recyclable Yes No Yes Recycled Content Yes No increasing Renewable Yes Partially No Energy Use High Medium Low H2O consumption High High Low GHG emissions High High Low MSW High Medium Low Methane in landfill Yes Yes No Litter/Marine Debris Not persistent Maybe Persistent Persistent

4 Considerations: Manufacturing Plastic Bags use < 4% of water needed to manufacture paper bags Plastic Bags generate 40% of GHG needed to manufacture paper bags (and 21% of GHG for composted) Paper bags generate 70% more air emissions that plastic bags

5 Considerations: Renewables Paper is natural & renewable but has heavy footprint Biobased plastic - there are no 100% biobased grocery bags Paper bags can be made with up to 100% recycled content 79% paper bags end up in landfill Organics in landfill off-gas methane

6 Considerations: Fossil Fuels Fuel for transport largest use of fossil resources To decrease oil use, reduce shipping & transport Plastics used because of light weight Plastic can be problematic as litter

7 Considerations: Plastic Film Plastic PE bags and most PE film is 100% recyclable Film growing portion of plastic waste stream but increasing amount recovered Strong demand from domestic and export markets

8 Marketplace 2007 Production Conventional Plastics: >115 billion lbs* Film: ~13 billion lbs* Bio-based Plastics: <1 billion lbs 2006 Recovered film ~ 812 million lbs 2005 Recovered Film ~ 652 million lbs *Note: does not include imported material

9 Production of Film By Resin APC Resin Review (2007) 20% LDPE 51% LLDPE 15% HDPE 10% PP 2% PVC 2% other Depending on application readily recyclable Less so

10 Film Applications Shopping bags < 10% of film market Large portion of film is readily recyclable Examples: Stretch wrap Toilet paper wrap Dry cleaning bags Electronic wrap Furniture wrap Ice bags

11 Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Bag & Film Report (ACC)

12 Domestic Markets Trex (VA, NV) AERT (AR) Cycled Plastic (TX) Petoskey (IN) Fresh Pak (TX) Somerset (KY) Mondo (OH) Mountain Valley Recycling (TN) Hilex Poly (IN)

13 End Uses

14 Grades of Film Recovered in 2006 Note: mixed commercial & retail bags

15 Historical Pricing $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Baled/truckload quantities $ $ $ $ $80.00 $60.00 $40.00 $20.00 $0.00 Quality Pays! Jan-00 Jul-00 Jan-01 Jul-01 Jan-02 Jul-02 Jan-03 Jul-03 Jan-04 Jul-04 Jan-05 Jul-05 Jan-06 Jul-06 Jan-07 Jul-07 Jan-08 Jul-08 Price Per Pound Price Per Gallon Curbside Film Mixed Film Clear PE Film Crude Oil

16 Challenges: Recycling Infrastructure MRF system designed for collection of containers and paper not bags or film Bag & film recycling depends on recovery of quality material (low contamination)

17 Single Stream Processing Challenges

18 Policy Options Identify Objectives implement best program low cost reduce environmental impact reduce solid waste reduce fossil resource use reduce litter increase recovery

19 Impact of San Francisco Bag Ban Observations by Bob Lilienfeld: Minimal use of reusable bags not greater than in other cities Replacement of plastic by paper (not biobased plastic) Paper use excessive double bagging observed in many stores

20 Impact of San Francisco Bag Ban - In some cases, plastic bag recycling bins were removed from stores or employees weren t aware of them. - No compostable bags were found. One store erroneously marketed a bag as compostable that was not. Source: ULS Report

21 Mandatory Recycling States Cities Rhode Island Chicago California New York City Illinois New York (pending enactment) Counties Albany County, NY Nassau County, NY Rockland County, NY Suffolk County, NY Westchester County, NY

22 Example of Mandatory Recycling NYC Department of Sanitation Requires Grocers to Provide a bin for customers to recycle plastic bags Include recycling message on bags Sell reusable bags *ACC developed signage and educational material available at

23 Voluntary Recycling Bag Central Station (Pheonix, AZ) Educates residents about what s recyclable Educates residents on where to recycle Partnership with grocers It s In The Bag (Twin Cities, MN) Consumers brings bags to retail Businesses collect stretch/shrink wrap in gaylord boxes. Plastic bags are combined with stretch/shrink wrap generated by the stores & stored in the loading dock area.

24 Coordinators: Increase Collection Get familiar with available tools on web resource Facilitate new bag collection programs Commercial Public drop off Haulers Educate What s recyclable What plastic bags & film are recycled into Encourage re-use and reusables

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27 Educate on curbside bins Remind residents at their home to do the right thing: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

28 Public Drop-Off

29 Encourage haulers to handle film

30 Commercial Collection Identify commercial generators & encourage new recovery programs

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32 Encourage Retail Collection

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34 Educate in Retail Stores

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36 Plastics: Integral Material in Globalized Society

37 Reduce Reuse Recycle More! Thank you Patty Moore