Consumer demand for environmentally friendly packaging is growing more and more every day. Unfortunately, the massive amount of information regarding “environmentally correct” packaging can be very confusing. When considering such packaging, it’s important to know the facts about the unique environmental benefits associated with various types of packaging. While most green attributes can apply to virtually all retail packaging, the greatest impact is in bags; Plastic, Paper and Reusable Non-Woven Bags. The advantages and disadvantages of different bag materials, followed by a glossary of environmental terms, are listed below.
Durable
Washable
Recyclable
Strong and weather resistant
Frequently sold to offset product costs
Frequently re-used - displaying your logo again and again
Less hazardous to wildlife
100% Recyclable & Compostable
Often made with post-consumer recycled material
Currently recycled at a much higher rate than plastic
Bulkier than plastic - increased transportation costs
Less re-use by consumers
100% Recyclable
Produced from the by-products of refining gasoline
Often re-used by consumers, eliminating the production of another bag
Much longer decomposition period
Can be hazardous to wildlife
Possibly more than you ever wanted to know about this subject .......................................
Biodegradable Ability to completely safely break down by natural or biological means into raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment.
Compostable Materials that undergo degradation by biological processes during composting to yield C02, water, inorganic compounds and biomass, and leave no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue. Compostable bags are made of PLA, which is Polylactic Acid, and obtained from renewable sources like corn, sugar beets, wheat, and other starch-rich products. In order for a bag to be considered compostable, it must biodegrade at the same rate as grass clippings, must disintegrate so no large particles can be screened out, and must biodegrade safely so that it can support plant growth.
Degradable Materials that have the capability to break down from a whole into parts or completely break down into natural substances in the normal process of exposure to natural events. Most degradable products are either biodegradable (bacterial action) or photodegradable (ultraviolet action).
Greenhouse Gases Those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and artificial, that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, including Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Fluorinated Gas emitted through human activities.
Oxo-Degradable Materials that undergo degradation via a multiple stage process using a chemical additive to initiate the degradation, which may be triggered by Ultra-Violet (UV) sunlight, heat and/or mechanical stress with remnants then going through bio-degradation over time.
Post Consumer (PCR) Recycled after product is used for its original purpose.
Post-Industrial (PIR) Recycled from internal manufacturing scrap, trim, etc.
Recycle Returning a product for reprocessing into another type of product which would use the components of the original product in its makeup. This is not remaking the old product into “a like new” product.
GEORGIA RETAIL PACKAGING, INC. - 4661-D Hammermill Road - Tucker, GA 30084
Consumer demand for environmentally friendly packaging is growing more and more every day. Unfortunately, the massive amount of information regarding “environmentally correct” packaging can be very confusing. When considering such packaging, it’s important to know the facts about the unique environmental benefits associated with various types of packaging. While most green attributes can apply to virtually all retail packaging, the greatest impact is in bags; Plastic, Paper and Reusable Non-Woven Bags. The advantages and disadvantages of different bag materials, followed by a glossary of environmental terms, are listed below. 
