Reusable Bag Material and the Environment
Like disposable bags, reusable bags require resources to produce and can end up as waste. In order for reusable bags to really be a sustainable alternative to disposable bags, we have to regularly use them. According to the US EPA, a reusable bag need only be used eleven times to have a milder environmental impact than using eleven plastic bags. However, different materials used to produce reusable bags also have different environmental impacts, so the number of uses it takes to cancel out the environmental impact of disposable bags varies accordingly. According to a Wall Street Journal article, many of the cheap, reusable bags offered to customers by retailers are made of non-woven polypropylene, a plastic that requires 28 times more energy to produce than a disposable polyethylene sack. Considering the factor of energy use alone, these bags must be used at least 28 times to cancel out the impact of one disposable polyethylene bag. If such a reusable bag is used twice per week instead of a disposable plastic bag, it will have an overall milder environmental impact after 3 ½ months.
Reusable bags can be made from a wide variety of materials, such as cotton, canvas, hemp, nylon, linen, bamboo, various plastics and recycled materials. One environmental advantage of organic textiles such as hemp, cotton and bamboo is that they will biodegrade more rapidly, creating less of a waste problem than synthetic materials. However, some materials such as cotton are labor- and water-intensive, and the heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for cotton production concerns many consumers. However, consumers can avoid participating in these practices by purchasing reusable shopping bags made from organic or recycled cotton.
Most textile processing involves the use of chemicals at some stages (such as scouring, bleaching and dyeing), which can leach harmful emissions into air and water and present health risks. According to organic textiles expert Dr. Charu Jain, wet processing of textiles can be carried out in ecologically responsible ways, such as through peroxide bleaching, low impact and natural dyes and phthalate-free printing. Textiles that meet the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) must consist at least 95% of fibers that relied on no chemical fertilizers or pesticides during their production, and must also have been processed free of specific prohibited chemicals (including formaldehyde, GMOs, heavy metals and several others). Using reusable bags that meet the Global Organic Textiles Standard is one way to move toward a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.
Synthetic bags carry the disadvantage that they take as long to biodegrade as disposable plastic bags. Reusable bags made from plastics are also made from fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource. However, many synthetic bags are made from recycled plastics that might otherwise end up in the waste stream, so their production ultimately eases the burdens of plastic on the environment. Reusable bags can be made from other recycled materials as well, such as recycled cotton, paper, foil and rice bags. Another good way to reduce our ecological footprint is to use synthetic reusable bags made from recycled materials.