Dear Recycle Lady,
In a previous column you said that it was not necessary to cut off the top of plastic bags. Does this include the Ziploc bags that have a colored zipper on the top of the bags?
Zipper
Dear Zipper,
Good catch. There are now two types of closure for Ziploc plastic bags or bags made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE, #4) plastic or high-density polyethylene (HDPE, #2) plastic. The most common of these small plastic bags have a self-sealing top that closes by pressing the two top layers together. These bags are totally recyclable. This includes snack bags, sandwich bags, food storage bags, and resealable plastic bags. The second type of small plastic bags, or “zip” bags, have two interlocking pieces of plastic at the top of the bag and a small white tab that slides across this track to close the bag. These bags are recyclable also, but only after the zipper part has been removed. As with all recyclables, be sure each bag is clean and dry before you recycle it. Also, be sure to check that there are no paper or food particles inside the bag. When purchasing new small bags, please consider the newer reusable and compostable Silicone bags, Bumkins fabric reusable food-storage bags, Beeswax Storage Bags, Cleanomic Bags, or Plant-Based Food Wraps.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Are there companies making products out of recycled ocean plastic? If so, what are some of these products?
Hard to Believe
Dear Hard to Believe,
Every minute a dump truck of plastic waste enters our oceans, says Erin Simon, head of Plastic Waste and Business at World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “From sea turtles to whales, plastic pollution is wreaking havoc on ocean life through ingestion, entanglement, and habitat loss due to pollution.” Thankfully, there are companies today that are committed to using these recycled ocean plastics to make new products. A few of those dedicated companies are Adidas’s Parley running shoes, Solgaard’s Shore-Tex backpacks and fanny packs, Sea Bags’ toiletry bags made from sailboat sailcloth, Leonisa Love’s swimsuits, Norton Poing unisex sunglasses, Humanscale’s high-performance smart chairs, Hanover’s 2 laptop backpacks, Ocean Sole & Sea Star’s beachwear, Kevin Murphy’s Ocean Plastic Packaging and the Marine Debris Bakelite Project, a collection of 11 Bakelite look-alike products. Also, there is evening wear, yarn, green toys, and surf boards available, all of which are being made from recycled ocean plastics.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What is precycling? How can precycling happen before recycling?
Curious Recycler
Dear Curious Recycler,
Precycling is all about preventing waste before it happens. It is a way to help the environment by buying wisely in order to reduce your impact on what goes into the waste stream. Precycling means choosing products that are unpackaged, packaged in recyclable packaging, or require less packaging, such as concentrated detergents. Buying products that are reuseable, durable, or repairable; products that are made from renewable resources; or products that use less raw materials all result in less materials to be recycled or to be sent to the landfill.
Don’t forget to check your storage facilities for old pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides. The Pesticide Collection at the State Fair is June 25 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
