Markets for Used Plastic Shopping Bags

We get them for free so we tend to think that they have little value. But believe it or not, plastic shopping bags are a valuable commodity and growing more so every day. Why?

Parts of the Toronto waterfront boardwalk are made from Trex composite lumber.

Like pieces of frozen natural gas, plastic shopping bags are highly recyclable and can be used to make exciting new products. The humble carry-out bag that helped modernize how we shop some 40 years ago continues to be a story of innovation, helping to fuel new product development and whole new markets that hold real promise.

Today, used plastic shopping bags can be remade into a many new products, from new plastic shopping bags to plastic wood for decking, siding, waste receptacles, patio furniture and even park benches.

The plastic composite market is growing in leaps and bounds at 14 per cent per year. It is estimated to reach US$1.4 billion by 2007.

Download a list of end markets for plastic shopping bags.

Plastic or Composite Lumber

The plastic or composite lumber market, in particular, is an exciting 21^st century development that provides a long-lasting, alternative to traditional hardwood.

The product uses recycled or virgin plastic, often mixing it with natural fibres such as wood to create a composite lumber product that offers benefits traditional wood just cannot match.

The product won’t rot, crack, warp or splinter. It’s denser than wood, and virtually maintenance free. It is insect-resistant, and durable. Excellent for marine use, plastic lumber products can last more than half a century depending on the application.

By giving new life to used plastic products, including plastic shopping bags, plastic lumber not only helps save our forests so critical to global warming, but it helps extend the life of applications that have traditionally relied on wood as their main ingredient.

Canadians Give New Life to Used Plastic Shopping Bags

One 2x6 composite board 16 feet long uses about 2,250 plastic shopping bags in its manufacture.

 As an industry, we have put out a call to all Canadians to re-use and recycle their plastic shopping bags - to use them wisely for everything they are worth. The Canadian plastics industry wants its plastic shopping bags back so they can be remade into exciting new products.

Decima Research shows that Canadians are embracing re-use and recycling of their plastic shopping bags, with over 90 per cent of people currently re-using their bags and over 80 per cent indicating that they would recycle those bags they do not reuse if given the opportunity at retail.

Canadian businesses are doing their part as well - innovating and finding new uses for used bags and other plastics.

• A Newfoundland company, Enviroplastic Lumber, makes picnic tables for Gros Morne National Park, a United Nations recognized World Heritage site.
• A Chatham firm has developed a look-alike cedar shingle, called Enviroshake, from a proprietary composition of recycled plastic, recycled rubber and agricultural-fibre materials, such as flax and hemp.  The roofing material comes with a 50-year warranty.
• Cascades a Quebec-based firm uses recycled plastic shopping bags to manufacture plastic lumber called “Perma Deck”, some furniture and some industrial products. Northern Plastic Lumber of Lindsay, Ontario manufactures “Plasboard”, a 100% recycled plastic lumber. And Rival Inventory Control of Newmarket, Ontario and Awax Manufacturing of Calgary, Alberta manufacture plastic lumber.
• Canadian Recycled Plastic Products, of Stratford, Ontario makes Muskoka-styled chairs, furniture, trash containers, recycling bins.
• In the United States, Virginia-based Trex Company purchases about 300 million pounds (136 million kilograms) of used polyethylene a year for manufacturing composite lumber decking and railing products.