June 01, 2016

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE PAPER OVER PLASTIC

Over the past decade, cities and states across the U.S. have enacted legislation aimed at reducing plastic bag use and waste. Some cities, including Washington D.C. and, most recently, New York City, have placed fees on plastic bags. Other cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland have outright banned plastic bags.

According to the City Council, NYC spends over $12 million each year dumping 91,000 pounds of plastic bags in landfills - that’s about 9 billion bags a year.

So why are legislators taking such a strong stance against the plastic bag? Here’s the rundown on why you should always choose paper over plastic.

Paper Bags

Paper bags are made of natural materials and can be recycled in most city-wide recycling programs, ensuring they don’t end up in your local landfill.

Paper bags with only a small amount of ink, or printed with soy or other vegetable based inks, can be composted. Composting breaks down the bag from paper fibers to soil nutrients in just a few months.

Paper bags typically hold more than twice as much as a plastic bag, so you’ll use less bags and reduce your ecological footprint in the long run.

PLASTIC BAGS

Plastic bags are made from non-renewable resources, such as oil and natural gas.

Although recycling plastic bags is technically feasible, the process is generally cost-prohibitive and if plastic bags find their way in with other recyclable plastics, the bags can clog the machinery.

Don’t be fooled by plastic bags that are labeled “biodegradable.” Some companies label plastic bags as "biodegradable" if they're made from a mixture of recycled plastic and cornstarch. Although the cornstarch will biodegrade, the recycled plastic can only break down into smaller pieces and will never fully decompose.

At RE.BIN, we value sustainability over all else. That’s why we designed RE.BIN to hold paper bags, not plastic ones.

You can use RE.BIN with or without a liner, but make sure to always choose paper over plastic if you do. If you don’t have access to paper bags locally, we’ve got you covered. We’ve created paper bag liners for RE.BIN made from 100% recycled paper. Join the RE.BIN movement and make recycling an effortless and stylish part of your everyday life.