Paper bags for recycling?

Question

The local recycling center says to recycle paper products(junk mail, etc.) to put them in paper bags. Do I just go to the grocery store and ask for some paper bags, or are there places that sell them?

Answer 1

Gday. buying paper bags to put your junk mail in seems to defeat the purpose of cutting back on usage and recycling. Probably the reason for them telling you this is to group all the small leaflets etc together so the don't flutter away when being emptied into the truck. When the recycle plant operators find a bag of something coming though they have to rip it open anyway. Seems a waste seeing you went out and bought the bag in the first place. If you use boxes to put your groceries in then you can put your pamphlets in that and when its about full you can then put it in your recycle bin. But it doesn't hurt to just put the pamphlets in your bin.

Answer 2

Just ask for paper instead of plastic the next time you go to the grocery store.

Answer 3

Don't worry about paper shopping bags because instead you can buy enviro. friendly bags made from cotton e.t.c.

Answer 4

Yes, they can be purchased, but most people just pack their groceries or other store purchases in them when they forget their reusable ones at home.  

Answer 5

for taking things to the recycling center i would just use a plastic box, although plastic production isn't the best thing, these recycling boxes are standard issue in some countries for waste because they can hold the weight of the things put in them, and you aren't throwing the box away because it just gets used over and over again.

for bags, i would seek an environmental friendly shopping tote or bag because they are sturdy (more so than plastic or paper bags) and allow you to pack quite a large amount of things in them.  they come in all shapes, sizes and colours and can be packed away easily in your car etc which makes it very easy to carry them around all the time.  

there is places online where you can buy environmentally friendly paper bags or bin liners, but paper bags do have a tendency to rip, especially if you carry alot in them so it would just be a waste to keep using a new one every time, if that makes sense.