15 replies to this topic

[Still Waters]

www.dailymail.co.uk said:

The 'degradable' plastic bags handed out in their millions by Tesco are more harmful than those they have replaced, a Government study has found.

The carrier bags, which are designed to break down within three years, leave behind tiny plastic particles that could harm birds, insects and mammals.

The report also warned the bags can litter the countryside for up to five years before they degrade, far longer than the supermarket claims.

This is because they need to be exposed to heat and sunlight for them to break down. And unlike ordinary bags, they cannot be composted or recycled.

The report will be a major blow to Tesco, which hands out around 500million of the '100 per cent degradable' bags a year.

Read more...

[Wickian]

I prefer ordinary plastic anyway.  I just save them and use them as mini-trash bags so I don't have to buy the large ones very often.

[Princess Serenity]

Wickian, on 14 March 2010 - 06:34 PM, said:

I prefer ordinary plastic anyway.  I just save them and use them as mini-trash bags so I don't have to buy the large ones very often.

That's what I do. My stepmom always recycles the plastic bags at Giant. I use them as trash bags.

As for the "green" bags. My stepmom uses them. I think I've heard about this. :/ I heard a report similiar to this.

[stevewinn]

we use the hemp shopping bags from Tesco. nice and strong and when they wear out after about two years worth of use i use them in the pond to line the flower baskets.

[Marby]

This is the type of thing that happens when everyone is in a rush to out "green" the competition.

[Wickian]

stevewinn, on 15 March 2010 - 06:33 PM, said:

we use the hemp shopping bags from Tesco. nice and strong and when they wear out after about two years worth of use i use them in the pond to line the flower baskets.

I'm pretty sure hemp products are illegal in my country even though they cannot be smoked.

[eqgumby]

God, I hate this "green" overload...this is what happens...

[Insaniac]

Tesco.

Evil Inside.

^^

[Marby]

Insaniac, on 16 March 2010 - 01:12 AM, said:

Tesco.

Evil Inside.

^^

But they do a great store brand vermouth.

[stevewinn]

Wickian, on 15 March 2010 - 08:09 PM, said:

I'm pretty sure hemp products are illegal in my country even though they cannot be smoked.

strange that. do you know what the reason is? you can buy hemp seed over here hemp oil, and loads of hemp products.

[Michelle]

stevewinn, on 16 March 2010 - 07:28 PM, said:

strange that. do you know what the reason is? you can buy hemp seed over here hemp oil, and loads of hemp products.

You can buy hemp products in the US. I just googled 'hemp products in the US' and it had lots of links.

[stevewinn]

Michelle, on 16 March 2010 - 07:39 PM, said:

You can buy hemp products in the US. I just googled 'hemp products in the US' and it had lots of links.

well there you go, job done.  

[Wickian]

Michelle, on 16 March 2010 - 07:39 PM, said:

You can buy hemp products in the US. I just googled 'hemp products in the US' and it had lots of links.

Huh, I always thought they were illegal.  The only hemp related news I've ever heard was about farms and factories being shut down over growing or producing hemp for industrial purposes.

Maybe hemp legality varies from state to state like other things.

Edited by Wickian, 17 March 2010 - 04:56 AM.

[Antimony]

Quote

The carrier bags, which are designed to break down within three years, leave behind tiny plastic particles that could harm birds, insects and mammals.

Ordinary plastic bags do exactly the same, they just take longer to get to that stage. There are already umpteen studies that show the findings of accumulated plastic found not only in our oceans, but in the digestive systems of sea-animals and birds.

Quote

The report also warned the bags can litter the countryside for up to five years before they degrade, far longer than the supermarket claims.

And ordinary bags don't litter the countryside? For up to hundreds of years until they degrade?

Quote

This is because they need to be exposed to heat and sunlight for them to break down. And unlike ordinary bags, they cannot be composted or recycled.

Since when can ordinary bags be composted???

The difference of the Tesco bags is that they are degradable, but not biodegradable. Not the same thing.

The UK are so behind in the matter of those stupid plastic bags. In many European countries like Germany or France you simply don't get them anymore. You have to buy one, and these are more solid & made out of recycled plastic.

People really don't realize that we're heading towards a environmental plastic disaster!

[GreyWeather]

Wickian, on 15 March 2010 - 08:09 PM, said:

I'm pretty sure hemp products are illegal in my country even though they cannot be smoked.

I never made that connection. I just thought it was a name that sounded Eco' and not actually from the plant. Aw man...

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I remember when, when these 'Green' bags came out, on them was printed "Bio-Degradable". I guess they got into trouble as plastic isn't bio-degradable - it always stays as a plastic, up until it's microscopic.

I don't get why they don't set up 'Bins' outside all grocery stores, where you can put your plastic bags in. And they get recycled for different plastic uses. Maybe to re-make plastic bags.

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Edit: I also don't see why we can't do an American and use paper bags.

Edited by GreyWeather, 23 March 2010 - 04:44 PM.