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Jon, 

In the article listed below, Weisman describes some of the problems caused by the vast amount of plastic that is neither recycled nor landfilled and that makes its way into the food chain, oceans, beaches, etc.

Alan Weisman (2007). "Polymers are forever," Orion Magazine, 26(1):  17-25.

Also, if you do a google search on "Trash Island" and then take a look at the life cycle of paper bags, you will see why some are thinking we should be using and reusing cloth bags at the grocery store and elsewhere. 

John Jermier

-----Original Message-----
From: Organizations and the Natural Environment Discussion
[mailto:ONE-L@AOMLISTS.pace.edu]On Behalf Of Gordon P Rands
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 10:53 PM
To: ONE-L@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
Subject: Re: Environmental impact of producing/using paper bags vs.
plastic bags

Jon,

I can't cite a specific study, but the discussion of the negative environmental impacts of plastic bags tends to focus on what happens post-consumer use.  Many (probably millions a day on a global basis) end up not being recycled or properly landfilled/incinerated.  When this occurs, they end up as litter, and can work their way into aquatic ecosystems.  Particularly in marine ecosystems they are ingested by animals that mistake them for jellyfish, contributing to starvation.  I believe they can cause other problems, but that is probably the single greatest problem. While paper bags may be more material and energy intensive to produce, if they end up as litter they biodegrade pretty quickly.

Their manufacture also take huge quantities of oil -- as much as 37 million barrels per year in China, according to the folllowing article:  http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=china-sacks-plastic-bags

Gordon

Gordon Rands
Western Illinois University
 
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jon Entine" <runjonrun@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: ONE-L@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
Sent: Monday, June 9, 2008 12:56:57 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Environmental impact of producing/using paper bags vs. plastic bags

Request for help/advice...

I've been approached by a paper bag producing company...one that is partnering with many progressive companies to produce post-consumer waste bags (such as for Whole Foods).

As one might imagine, plastic bag manufacturers are pushing back, claiming that when one does a life cycle analysis, plastic bags can be less intrusive to the environment than paper bags in both the production and use stage.

On the surface, the plastic bag company claims don't look supportable. But what does the data, if there is any, say on this??

I've been asked if there is any way to do this kind of scientific analysis, or whether it has been done and if so, by whom or what organization or company?

Thanks for any help on this.

Jon Entine

484FC18B.378C.001C.0@augsburg.edu" type="cite">

Hello Jon and ONE List-Serve Members, I consulted a local contact with extensive experience in polymer physics research (my husband Rob Peterson, 3M Company) for assistance with this question - taking it beyond my normal scope of 'business sustainability.' Here is Rob's response:  A short summary 1. With the exception of a very new development between Braskem and Dow to produce ethylene from sugar cane ( ethanol dehydrated over alumina, silica,zeolite catalyst), the feedstock for PE is petroleum naptha/feedstock. The use of this feedstock, in a time of peak oil, to produce a low technology, low value, short lifespan,environmentally sensitive product is something the plastics industry has never been able to address. The plastics industry, along with others, desires to truncate discussion of life cycle analysis to an abbreviated form, not the entirety of the issue, ( i.e. from raw material input through end of life reassimilation into raw mateiral again, ref. 'Cradle-to-Cradle' by W. McDonough. A paper bag comes from a renewable resource,does not have an end of life environmental hazard, and is naturally biodegradable.  2.I have seen eco-profile production cost for PLA resins ( renewable resource based and compostable) , to be contrasted to PE, done by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, ( ref. Industrial Biotechnology, Volume 3, 11/1/2007). Also reference LCA interest by Ramani Narayan @ Michigan State University on using biobased materials. He has published much in this area.  Hope this helps! Lori  Dr. Lori A. Peterson Director, Augsburg for Adults Augsburg College 115C Oren Gateway Center, CB 65 2211 Riverside Avenue Minneapolis, MN  55454 Ph. 612-330-1637 Fx. 612-330-1607     

Jon Entine <runjonrun@EARTHLINK.NET> 6/9/2008 12:56 PM >>>         

 Request for help/advice...  I've been approached by a paper bag producing company...one that is partnering with many progressive companies to produce post-consumer waste bags (such as for Whole Foods).  As one might imagine, plastic bag manufacturers are pushing back, claiming that when one does a life cycle analysis, plastic bags can be less intrusive to the environment than paper bags in both the production and use stage.  On the surface, the plastic bag company claims don't look supportable. But what does the data, if there is any, say on this??  I've been asked if there is any way to do this kind of scientific analysis, or whether it has been done and if so, by whom or what organization or company?  Thanks for any help on this.  Jon Entine   

--  Bob Clemen Fuqua School of Business Duke University, Box 90120 Durham, NC 27708-0120  Phone: 919-660-8005 Fax: 919-684-2818 WWW: http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~clemen/bio/