stopMyLocalPaper.org

The “paper or plastic” question continues to swirl. The plastic bag
people say they’re saving trees by not using paper bags. The paper bag
people say they’re keeping plastic bags from getting into the ocean and
harming the fish.

Just buy your own bags and bring them with you. The typical shoper only walks out with 2-3 bags, and that is because the paper/plastic bags are weak and aren’t built to hold enough products. So buy 2 study bags and use on your convience stops.

• Pizza boxes. The oil from pizza can contaminate the cardboard making it impossible to process them into clean paper.
• Napkins and paper towels. It’s not the paper goods themselves that present a problem, but the fact that they’re typically used to wipe up food, cleaning products, and other “hazardous waste.”
• Sticky notes. Their size, color, and the adhesive strip make them a better bet for the trash bin.
• Plastic caps. Curbside programs won’t recycle them.
• Wet paper. Paper fibers that have been exposed to water are shorter and therefore less valuable to paper mills, making it unprofitable to collect and recycle.