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12 Interesting Facts About Paper Bags

12 Interesting Facts About Paper Bags

More people than ever are opting to use paper bags as an alternative to plastic bags. Each person has their own reasons for making this choice, but common reasons include environmental awareness, safety, and durability. While paper bags may not seem the most interesting subject, there are lots of fun and interesting facts about paper bags, and here are just a few.

  • While a paper bag takes an average of one month to decompose, it can take a plastic bag anywhere between 5 and 10 years.
  • Paper bags are made from trees and this is a renewable resource. On the other hand, plastic bags are generally made from polyethylene, made from petroleum jelly, and this is a non-renewable resource.
  • A standard paper bag can hold as many as 14 grocery items. In comparison, a standard plastic bag can usually only hold up to 10 items.
  • Research suggests that paper bags are more likely to be recycled than plastic bags, with up to 20% of paper bags being recycled and less than 1% of plastic bags.
  • It takes less energy to produce paper bags than plastic bags and this means that the amount of greenhouse gases is reduced.
  • When paper bags were first made, their size was measured by how many bags of sugar they could hold.
  • Paper bags are safer for pets, wildlife, and marine life as animals are less likely to choke or get trapped in the handles.
  • Paper bags can be reused in the home to store some foods and make them last longer. Two examples are bananas and mushrooms.
  • It is possible to use a paper bag to fill with waste to create compost. Furthermore, paper bags can be composted.
  • The average family would need just four paper bags per week for their grocery shop and this equals 208 per year. In comparison, eight plastic bags would be needed for the same amount of shopping and this amounts to 416 per year.
  • Renewable, carbon-neutral resources contribute to approximately two-thirds of the power used in the manufacture of paper bags.
  • If 1 tonne of paper bags is recycled, this saves around 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space.

 

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