The trash bag lifecycle refers to all the stages of a trash bag, from production to decomposition.
It’s important to understand this lifecycle so that you can understand the impact using certain types of trash bags can have on the environment.
To reduce stress on the environment, it’s also important to use trash bags that will decompose quickly or give back to the environment rather than hurting it.
Production
Most plastic trash bags are made with crude oil, which is the basic component of making all plastic.
Crude oil is a non-renewable resource made with fossil fuels, which means that it is a resource rapidly becoming less available.
To create a trash bag, crude oil is heated and pressurized to create ethylene gas, which then turns into polyethylene strings used to create different types of plastic. The process of creating trash bags itself uses toxic chemicals and puts toxic pollution into the air.
Use
The next stage of the trash bag lifecycle is how they are used. The most common use for a trash bag is – you guessed it – trash.
Depending on your household size and the way you manage your waste, you may use anywhere between 1-2 trash bags to 4-5 trash bags a week. A single trash bag may only be used for 1-2 days before being filled up and moved to the dumpster.
Discard and Decompose
Once your trash bag is filled with rubbish, the next step in the trash bag lifecycle is the landfill.
The typical trash bag takes 10-20 years to decompose, while other plastic trash bags can take 500 to 1000 years to break down.
This means that there are plastic bags still in existence since 1965 when the first plastic bag was created. During the process of decomposition, many of the toxic chemicals used to make trash bags are released into the ground.
Why Does Decomposition Take So Long for Plastic?
The length of decomposition seems rather long until you consider that the materials used to create plastic bags don’t exist naturally in nature. Things that do not exist in nature do not have microorganisms that can break them down effectively.
Alternative Trash Bags
While the lifecycle of a plastic trash bag seems short to us, it is actually very long.
Other trash bag alternatives are better for the environment and have a much shorter life span. Using these alternative bags can help trash materials break down quickly or be recycled, which can reduce stress on the environment and landfills.
Paper Bags
While paper bags are most commonly used to collect outdoor trash, such as dead leaves and debris from storms, paper bags can also be used for trash.
Paper bags from grocery stores or fast food restaurants can generally break down in about a month or two, which is significantly better than the lifespan of a plastic bag.
Compostable Bags
You also have the choice of using a compostable bag. Compostable bags essentially break down into resources that provide nutrients to the soil through the decomposition process.
Through a combination of oxygen and heat, compostable bags can help the environment by reducing pollution and providing the land with resources to sustain healthy growth.
Biodegradable Bags
Biodegradable bags are another option that is becoming more popular. Sometimes called controlled lifecycle plastic bags, biodegradable bags are made with a material that decomposes in nature.
These bags are specifically designed to break down in landfills, but they do not provide nutrients to the soil. Oxo-biodegradable and hydro-biodegradable are the two most common types of biodegradable bags
How to Minimize Plastic Waste
In addition to changing the type of trash bag you use for your everyday household trash, there are other things you can do to minimize plastic waste and help protect the environment.
Use Reusable Bags
Reusable cloth bags for grocery shopping can greatly reduce your plastic waste.
Reusable shopping bags can sometimes be made of a plant-based material that will last for several uses before breaking down. You may also consider nylon reusable bags, which tend to have a bit more strength than cloth bags or plastic-based materials.
Avoid Single-Use Plastic
It’s also a good idea to avoid single-use plastic, such as straws, plastic utensils, bags, or plastic that may be used for packaging.
While avoiding all single-use plastic may not be possible, you can greatly reduce your waste by switching to steel or wooden utensils, silicone straws, or other reusable replacement items.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk not only saves time and money but can also reduce plastic waste.
Bulk items typically have less packaging material than single-use or smaller-quality purchases.
Use a Thermos
Plastic water bottles are one of the leading contributors to plastic waste found in landfills and the ocean.
However, you can easily switch to using a thermos and a water purification system to reduce plastic waste.
Replacing Other PLastics
You can also look for other opportunities to swap out plastic in your every day life.
For example, you can replace plastic razors with steel razors, shampoo bottles with shampoo bars, and plastic combs with wooden brushes. Many companies are working very hard to create sustainable packaging for personal care items, so be open to changing the items that you use daily.
The lifecycle of a trash bag can last for up to 1,000 years, depending on the density of the plastic bag. However, there are plastic bag alternatives that are friendlier to the environment and break down more quickly in landfills. You can also consider other ways to reduce your plastic waste
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