Polythene Bags

Are polythene bags recyclable?

Polythene bags are manufactured from LDPE which can be recycled many times. All our polythene bags are 100% recyclable.

Do polythene bags contain recycled plastic?

There are many different types and grades of polythene bags. The clear polythene bags that are used in manufacturing, bagging and packing are usually manufactured from virgin film to give high clarity. Food grade bags are normally 100% virgin material as adding recycled plastic is contamination. That said we can now supply food-grade bags with 30% recycled content that is recycled from the manufacturing process and does not have the level of contamination that would render it not suitable for food use. The other end of the scale is black bin liners that are manufactured from a recycled polymer. Non-food grade clear polythene bags are not very popular as the discolouration gives them a “dirty” look and feel which most consumers don’t like.

Are polythene bags biodegradable?

Polythene will biodegrade eventually but not in the timescales that we would consider reasonable to be classed as biodegradable.

There are additives that can be added to polythene that make it biodegrade faster but the end result is it that it becomes a microplastic. these are termed as oxo-degradable and are not 100% compostable. It is better to recycle as it can be recycled/used many times over.

How to seal a polythene bag.

The best way to seal a polythene bag depends on the application. Some fold the top and use tape. Some roll the top and staple it closed. The most secure seal is to use a heat sealer as it melts and bonds the layers of film together.