5 Interesting facts about recycled paper bags

1. What is recycled paper bag?

Recycled paper bags are made from used paper which is reprocessed for different purposes.

According to data from paperbag.org, in Europe, an average paper bag is reused or recycled 3.5 times before being completely discarded.

So what kind of paper bag can be recycled? The answer is most bags, such as shopping bags, coffee paper bags, gift bags, and food bags. However, if the bag contain a plastic film or has been rotten, wet or greasy, it can not be recycled.

2. Common symbols on recycled paper bags

Mobius Loop: A common symbol that says this paper bag is recyclable.

Mobius Loop: Symbol of recyclable products, the internal number indicates the percentage of packaging made from recycled materials. Encourage consumers to recycle after use.

The Green Dot: If you see this symbol on a paper bag, it means the manufacturer has made a certain contribution to the recycling of that bag.

FSC: FSC certified product symbol, which means that this paper bag has a clear origin – the source of wood produced and managed by the FSC Forest Management Board, balancing environmental protection values with social benefits of stakeholders (producers, society and local people).

3. Surprising benefits of recycled paper bags

3.1 Saving production costs

The following figures shows the benefits of paper recycling. On average, every ton of paper is reused, we can save:

24 natural forest trees;
Sufficient oxygen for 12 people to breathe in a year;
39,084 liters of water is enough for 875 baths, 5 minutes each, enough to use for 3,000 toilet flushes;
Nearly 4,000 kWh of electricity is enough for a 3-bedroom house in 1 year;
605 liters of raw oil;
Limiting the amount of CO2 equivalent to the emissions of a car for 6 weeks (95% reduction of pollutant emissions compared to the production of 1 ton of paper from wood).

(Data source: plhgroupinc.com)

This shows that using recycled paper will save a significant amount of money and manpower for businesses and society, which means the environment is better protected.

3.2 Reduce CO² emissions

While young trees absorb CO² faster, older trees are more likely to store it. When we recycle paper, the number of old trees for wood production is reduced, which helps store more CO² in the tree and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Every 1m3 of wood will absorb 1 ton of CO² and emit 0.7 tons of O². Statistics show that the average annual carbon storage of European forests reaches 719 million tons of CO² per year.

This is equal to the annual amount of CO² emissions generated by Germany, including the energy, manufacturing and construction industries, transportation, households, agriculture, and waste. Or the equivalent of 209 coal-fired power plants.

3.3 Easy to recycle and decompose

A research from USA TV channel NBC shows that most paper bags contain at least 35% recycled material or more. After being used, paper bags continue to process and reuse, while many companies do not accept recycling of plastic bags because they can clog their machines or require a complex handling process.

A plastic bag takes 500 – 1000 years to decompose, while a paper bag takes a few months. You can even tear up paper bags and put them into a tree compost.

3.4 Protect marine life

Plastic bags can destroy the lives of thousands of marine creatures every year. Because they cause some marine animals to mistakenly believe food, cause stomach obstruction and cause many starving animals such as sea turtles, whales or sea birds.

Paper bags can decay in water, so the risk of marine life is lower.

3.5 Promote brand image

Using recycled paper bags is a way to introduce customers that your business cares about and contributes to environmental protection. This contributes to creating a positive image for the brand, attracting more customers.

4. What factors affect the quality of recycled paper bags?

Food and grease stains

Food stains on paper bags are one of the most difficult processes in recycling. Because plastic, metal or glass are recycled by heat, grease and stains will not be a problem.

But for paper packaging such as paper bags and paper boxes because they are mixed with water and mixed into mud, if not remove grease, stains, it greatly affects the quality of recycled products.

Paper bags for foodstuffs, after removing stains and grease, can be further recycled and reused (Image: freepik)

Components of paper bag

Most of the glue located on the bag such as hip stickers, bottom stickers, bag straps are dissolved in water. Paper companies can remove this glue during recycling.

There are many materials used to make bags of different sizes, colors such as fabric, ribbons, and cotton. Normally, recycled paper bags often use straps with twisted or folded paper, the straps will be recycled together with the body of the bag. However, if the straps are made from other materials such as cotton, ribbons, cloth, they will be removed.

Paper bags using printing techniques such as hot stamping, lamination / glossy lamination, UV – vanish coating, will also be classified before recycling.

If you still need more information to choose a reputable paper bag company with the most competitive price, do not hesitate to contact us.

Khang Thanh – The packaging company in Vietnam specializes in producing paper bags, rigid box, labels, hangtag, books, calendar, POSM and so on. Contact us to support your brand with the right packaging:

KHANG THANH – HOUSE OF PACKAGING
Tel: (+84) 77 8878 222
Email: info@khangthanh.com