Can You Recycle Paper Bags? ♻️ And Other Things You Need To Know About Paper Bags

Can You Recycle Paper Bags? ♻️: How easy is it to recycle paper bags? Scratch that – first, we should talk about the possibility of recycling paper bags. Let us also talk about other important topics when it comes to paper bag recycling. Read this blog to learn more.

Which do you prefer using when buying groceries? Paper or plastic? Whichever you prefer, expect that there are good and bad in using either of them.

Plastic bags use non-renewable resources, whereas paper bags come from renewable ones. You can also compost paper bags, unlike plastic bags.

Conversely, paper bags use double the energy it takes to produce plastic bags. You can also even reuse plastic bags better than paper ones, mainly because of their composition (plastic having stronger quality than paper). And, paper production unfortunately emits more greenhouses gases than plastic.

Nevertheless, we still think of using paper bags as the better option, which can easily be debated if I am being honest. But, that would be a topic for another blog.

The point still stands, however, that whichever types of bag we use, we must deal with them the environmentally friendly and responsible way.

Now, how can you specifically deal with paper bags? Can you recycle paper bags? Or, are there better options for it? Should we encourage the use of paper bags? We will try to answer all of these questions and more below, so we suggest you read on to learn more.

Waster: provider of readily-available recycling solutions for small and medium Aussie businesses

Before we take you further into the discussion and determine whether or not you can recycle paper bags whilst also covering environmentally responsible ways to deal with them, we want to share Waster with you.

Who is Waster? Why do plenty consider it as one of the best waste and recycling companies in Australia?

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Simply put, Waster provides you with innovative solutions for your and your business’s waste management and recycling needs. In addition to that, we provide flexible, 30-day contracts instead of the typical lock-in contracts, which proves a better choice nowadays.

Click on the blue button below to learn more.

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READ: Waster Asks How Can You Dispose Of Paint Thinner? 🖌️

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Paper bag recycling and more you should know

Now, we want to ask you again: is it possible to recycle paper bags?

The answer to that question is an easy yes. As we have mentioned in previous blogs, you can recycle most paper products without much issue, and paper bags are no different.  You can go ahead and recycle paper bags easily by putting them in your household recycling bin or cardboard and paper recycling bin service for businesses. Another good option to recycle paper bag is to find drop off areas that accept paper items (if you have no kerbside household recycling bin service).

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REMINDERS: for your information, you can recycle brown-coloured paper grocery bags easily as much as other paper bag sizes, an example of which is the smaller paper lunch bag.

And, remember: do not place them in the household rubbish/general waste bin as the very first option! That would certainly be a waste (pun definitely unintended). Make sure to check all of your available options first.

What about shopping paper bags?

Paper bags with plastic lining used in department stores or other shops may pose a bit of an issue unlike those used in grocery stores. Unfortunately, as I have just mentioned, they are a combination of paper and plastic that was intended to the bag more durable. This means that you typically cannot recycle them with typical mixed paper.

To see if your area has any recycling facilities that accepts this type of paper bag for recycling, contact your local council and enquire. If no such option exists, then reuse the paper bag.

Can you recycle soiled paper bags?

This question has been asked countless of times. In fact, we have even written a blog about it, pertaining to recycling pizza boxes. Our answer is no different from our previous blog: paper bags contaminated with food waste, oil, grease etc. becomes a big problem when it comes to recycling.

Generally, do not expect you can recycle soiled paper bags. Unlike plastic, glass or metal that use heat in the recycling process, paper is mixed with water to create slurry. And, as you already know, water and oil do not mix well, so you already get the issue.

If you really want to recycle soiled paper bags, make sure you remove the soiled parts of it before you can do so. However, if the soiled portion of the plastic bag is too big to ignore, then it is best to place it in the rubbish.

What about composting?

Is composting another great option to deal with paper bags? The answer to that is also a yes!

Composting paper bags is also encouraged – maybe even more so than recycling, but that is debatable.

Anyways, for you to properly compost your paper bags, you have to tear them up into tiny pieces and put them in your compost pile or bin.

What if no other options exist?

If for some reason, you cannot do any of the mentioned options above, then all you have left is to find ways to reuse them.

For example, you can use the paper bags as rubbish lining instead of plastic ones. They can break down easier in landfill.

You can also make art crafts out of them. Websites like Pinterest can help give you some ideas on what you can create out of paper bags.

Contact Waster right now for your waste and recycling needs!

Does your Australian-based business need waste and recycling services? If so, then you have come to the right web page!

Please call 1300 WASTER (1300 927 837).  You can also email us at [email protected] if you have any further questions. Find the best deals in terms of waste and recycling pricing and services!