Photographs by Jason Fulford • Text by Paul McRandle
“PAPER OR PLASTIC? NEITHER” reads the motto emblazoned on Wal-Mart’s new recycled-plastic reusable bags. But worthy as those bags may be, many shoppers still wind up with more of the single-use variety than they can keep track of. Paper bags generate considerably more air and water pollution, but petroleum-based plastic bags don’t decompose, are a blight on the landscape and pose a hazard to wildlife.
Sadly, because it is complicated to recycle plastic bags, few recycling centers accept them. So recent efforts by Wal-Mart, Whole Foods Market and some cities to collect and recycle plastic bags, along with plastic dry-clean-ing covers and wrapping plastic, are a welcome attempt to boost the paltry 0.6 percent of bags recycled annually in the U.S. Follow the process as these flimsy, throwaway items get turned into useful, sturdy products, and you’ll go out of your way to take yours back to the store.
Shopping bags at a Wal-Mart checkout counter (left) are returned by shoppers, baled and sent to processors, like this one in Morristown, Tenn., for recycling.
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