Plastic bags are environment friendly or not ?

Do you think that Plastic bags are environment friendly!!

Plastic bags are becoming most controversial talk across the world. Plastic Plastic Plastic wherever we go what we see plastic in different form. We use it immensely and we only point towards plastic. Why? Why you are pointing if you don’t know the flaws and qualities. If you really want to point on it first have what actual concern then raise your voice for that.

What I think do you know? Plastic is environment friendly. As per my thoughts every single molecule comes from earth only and it’s solute to earth only. The matter is just time they acquire to get solute back in earth is different. If it is like so then why we are here? That is age-old egocentric philosophical question, “Why are we here?”

The matter is not sachets plastiques (plastic bags) actually that is poisonous to land but matter is we are making them poisonous for earth!! We need it, we use it and then what? Definitely going to say throw it. Right ? Well this is actually trouble that “We throw it”. If you want to throw it go for biodegradable plastic bags. If not then why don’t we reuse it? Why we don’t recycle it? Solutions are offered but we are being lazier.

“Get the right choice very straight. That will make you happy and you make the earth happy.” Know about plastic and apply in your life. Let we know plastic and take it out from controversy.

Plastic

Plastic is a series of Synthetic or semi synthetic organics solids which we can mold. Core element in plastic is organic polymers. They contain other substances which are derived from petrochemicals and some of derived from natural sources.

How plastic get composed?

Why additives are required in plastic? Is that beneficial or harmful?

Plastic additives are something added to plastic in small quantity to improve it.

Zero percentage: plastic used in wrap food.

Maximum: 50 % added to plastic.

Approx weight of additive is 20% of the weight of polymer.

Filler additive added to polymer that reduces the cost of plastic.

Fillers are actually the minerals. Some filler is active by chemical and some are not.

Chemically active fillers are known as reinforcing agent.

Stabilizing additives lowers the flammability of material.

Classification of Plastic:

Other classifications of plastic:

Based on Quality of plastic	Based on physical properties:
Thermoplastic	Density
Thermoses	Tensile strength
Elastomer	Glass transition temperature
Structural
Biodegradable
Electrically conductive

This is what plastic is all about with it’s characteristics. Depends on requirement plastic is get selected to manufacture plastic bags.

How to make plastic bags Biodegradable? What is Biodegradability?

Biodegradable term stands for capable of being decomposed by e.g. bacteria; "a biodegradable detergent".

sacs en plastique biodégradables (Biodegradable plastic bags) get decomposed while get exposure to sunlight. An example of it is ultra violate radiation. More agents which are responsible for bio-degradation are water, bacteria , wind abrasion , enzymes , instances like pest , rodent .

For a plastic bags bio-degradation take place either plastic get exposed at surface or if some condition exist in landfill.

What element in plastic bag causes bio-degradation more easily?

Starch: this is an answer as starch powder getting mix with plastic as filler that allows degrade of plastic very easily.

One more innovation have taken place that helps plastic bags to get degrade easily. That is “Genetically engineered bacteria” that used to manufacture a completely biodegradable plastic. This material cost quite much but we all know nothing is precious then earth.

Manufacturing companies applying new innovation to them product. So it’s a step away that we consume it.

Summary

This is what we can do for earth actually. We can contribute for the betterment of earth. Biodegradation technique for plastic bags will surely help earth to get rid of landfill. What next can be? View my next posting very soon.

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The paper bags are the only thing, civilized man has produced that does not seem out of place in environment.

When I was pondering on how to make the world pollution free? What could be the next step towards go green? Suddenly my eyes dragged myself on sac en papier (paper bags). Paper bags: how can be an advantageous? Then the answer comes out was unsurpassed assets of recycling which going to impact on world as an idol of Happy Environment.

That time I had recalled one line said by Mahatma Gandhi that "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

That's definitely true when it comes to saving the environment, we all are equal responsible to make the changes and decisions that will help the natural world to breathe right around us. But it will have lesser impact if we only going to make decisions or choices. The power shows to environment only if we make everyone to select environmental choice. If we all implement these words in our regular life it will no doubly give ample impact in healing the environment disasters.

 So play your part by taking Paper bags for carry your products and then asking everyone you know to join you. You by no means know … you might just end up to be one of the heroes that help to save our environment.

This is my view on paper bags. After getting across of process of manufacturing and it’s characteristic of being eco friendly I bet that you are going to hold my hand on the way of go green by having it.

How paper bags get manufactured?

This is I know hardly known by anyone : Margaret Knight mother of sac en papier (paper bags) , Francis Wolle who had invented machine for paper bags who was a botanist, clergyman, and a teacher and Luther Childs Crowell Inventor of paper bags. 

 It is very sound knowledge that paper comes out only from logs. But what if I deny it!!! You will come to know as you will go across. 

In brief the first step is to send logs to debark it and then sent them to mill for drying for two to three years. Once they are dried they are exposed to heat, chemicals and pressure to make oatmeal type of pulp. 

But if manufacturers are going to use recycled paper then the process would be shorten because the pulp doesn’t need to dry. It’s just when pulp is formed, just cuts, glues and packaged is ready.

 Paper bags are divided in two categories: single layer and Multi layer.

Single layer:

Bottom: flat gusseted paper bags. plastic window paper bags, self-opening, Paper shopping bags, brown paper bags, grocery bags, paper bread bags and other light duty bags have a single layer of paper. 

Paper bags are not waterproof. Thought there are some types like Laminated paper bags. The laminated bag that is not totally waterproof. But has a laminate that protects the outside of the bag to some degree. 

 Multi wall paper sacks:

When it comes to printed paper bags, it requires several layers of sack paper which have printed external layer and inner plies. Meanwhile some paper sack polyethylene foil or polyethylene paper layer in between that prevents it from water. 

 There are two basic designs of bags: open mouth bags and valve bags.

An open mouth bag is a tube of paper plies with the bottom end sealed. The bag is filled through the open mouth and then it is closed by stitching, adhesive, or tape or zip. Valve sacks have both ends closed and are filled through a valve. A typical example of a valve bag is the coffee sack. This is how paper get manufactured. But the core is “Paper”.

What makes paper likely to nature?

In brief after blog debarking and chipping production of paper starts with pressing moist fibers together, generally that cellulose pulp have taken out from wood , grasses or wood and drying them into sheets.

Chemical pulping

This process is used to make pulp from wood. That separates lignin (Derived from wood and an integral part of the wall of secondary wall ) from cellulose fibers by dissolving lignin in a cooking liquor that help to washed it from cellulose fibers. This process prevents the length of the cellulose fibers. These papers are known as “wood free papers”. This is because they do not contain lignin that get deteriorate as time pass. Paper pulp can also be bleached to make it white paper. This white paper consumes 5% of the fibers.

 Chemical pulping can done by three different process. sulfite process(1940) , and Kraft process(1970) and Soda pulping. 

Among these three processes Kraft process is now the most commonly implemented process. This process produces heat during the chemical reaction with lignin. That can be used to run a generator. This is the best way to be a net contributor to the electricity grid as well can run an adjacent paper mill. One more benefit is all process recovers and reuses almost all inorganic chemical reagents. Mechanical pulping

Mechanical pulping

 This process is either done by thermo mechanical pulp (TMP) or ground wood pulp (GW).

TMP process use steam heated refiners where the wood chips are squeezed and turns into fibers between two steel discs. While GM process use rotating stones grinders that presses the debarked logs into fibers. Process does not take out the lignin that yields it very high like more than 95 %. This makes paper to yellow and becomes brittle as time last. Paper made by this process results in very weak paper. But it’s cheaper then chemical pulp.

Additives

Some additives are used in paper to enhance the characteristic of the paper. It may contain fillers like china clay or chalk for improving printing quality. Additives for sizing purpose can be added later in the manufacturing process. This sizing gives correct level of surface for printing to suit the ink or paint.

Forming & Dewatering

When the pulp is fed to paper machine water is removed by pressing and drying. By pressing the sheet water gets removed by force and felt is used to collect that water. This drying can be done by heat or air also. The most frequent method is steam heated can dryer that heat to above 200 °F (93 °C) and can used in long sequences like 40 cans.

Coating

Paper is uncoated after the dewatering process. China clay or calcium carbonate are used to create a thin layer on paper either one or two side. That gives high resolution to screen.

Calendering

Calendering is the process to make the sheet more smoother by passing it under series of hard pressure rollers after that they are divided in matte, semi-matte or silk, and gloss. After that the paper is ready to fed on reels where fibers run in the machine direction only.

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When we put bio bags in nature , we find it attached to the rest of the world towards go green.

Everyone in this generation is shopaholic, no need to ask. We use to shop and chuck bags which we had used to carry what we have bought. There is again no requirement to ask frankly. Our hobby makes earth not at all holly. 

 When you will read you will realize how we harass the earth. If you really want to be eco friendly first step is to stop using carry bags!!! Oh it’s not possible!! Then what could be a solution for our “Go Green” resolution. “Greener bag” - Bio bag or Bio degradable bag are actual word for greener bags. What is Bio bag?? Or what is bio degradable bag?? No doubt concept is new, everyone would be curious that how bag can be eco friendly. 

 In 1980s first time sacs bio (Bio bags) were introduced to the world. Bio-bags consist of magic ingredient that destruct own self only after some months that are capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms. If you have gone at KFC, Pizza Hut you must have seen it. Air, moisture and such kind of element causes breakdown of elements, this elements could be food ,waste paper , fabric ,wood etc. meanwhile in the absence of air and moisture decomposition down and liberate green house gas and methane in the air.

These days even industries have became conscious about friendly environment as we already facing a lot environment related issues. Then why we are not?? For that, we required unprecedented collective effort that can be done by using natural resources in sustainable limit. For Human definition of sustainability would be using the earth’s resources at the rate at which they can be filling up again. We should look for bio degradable plastic when purchasing products in the industries like Apparel, Bakery packaging, Dry cleaning bags, Food packaging, Pharmaceutical packaging etc.

There are four types of bio degradable bags based on what elements are used in composition.

1)Cornstarch Impregnated Bags: As name suggest the main element will be cornstarch in the composition of bio bag. Cornstarch is most widely used element in such application. Cornstarch component start to decompose instantly when it get expose to microbe rich environment. That leads plastic to break in small pieces. At one point bag is absolutely deconstructed.

 2) Photo Sensitive Bags: As name suggests photo sensitive, it means bio bag of such type is start to decompose when that get exposure to the ultra violet rays in sunlight.

 3) Oxo-Biodegradable Bags: If you are looking for most economical manufacturer then this would be a best thought to opt. This sacs bio (bio bags) get oxidized when it get exposure to the oxygen in the air. Furthermore the oxidized fragments alter in carbon dioxide, risk free biomass and water.

 4) Aliphatic technology bags: This technology also using starch as decomposing element, it means these bags also rely on microbes what causes decomposition of bag into basic molecule. Technique is effective but quite expensive compare to others.

How bio bags get manufactured??

Bio degradable comprise of two layers: Inner layer, Outer layer.

These both layers are made of biodegradable thermoplastic material.

What is thermoplastic material? It is actually a water soluble resin (A sticky flammable organic substance, insoluble in water, exuded by some trees and other plants) which contains hydroxyl radical.

For fusing the paper with water soluble resin heat is used at some level of temperature that fuse the surface of the resin film with the paper contact. We can improve the use of heat by spraying thin film starch or any other biodegradable bonding agent on the water soluble resin surface or paper surface. Starch or other bio degradable bonding agent serves as laminating agent of resin and the paper.

Organic polymeric resins consist of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and containing the hydroxyl ion that is quite often slowly dissolves in water as well thermoplastic (moldable at specific temperature, and returns to a solid state upon cooling) in nature that helps to being laminated to paper by the application of heat.

This is very useful in the formation of bags that are designed either to store moist/wet material or to protect material from moisture. Which type of paper and resin laminated bag required is rely upon what type of product you are about to store. For an example if you looking to store garbage and moist grass then multiply laminate is used in which resin is used in the inner surface of bag. Meanwhile resin is used at outer surface of bag for a dry materials like seeds, granular fertilizer etc.

Figure showing resins (A sticky flammable organic substance, insoluble in water, exuded by some trees and other plants) which are used for forming a bio bags.

Different techniques:

A multi-layer bag material is consist of a paper layer and a biodegradable polymer film laminated to the paper layer with heat, whereby the surface of the polymer in contact with the paper is fused (melted) to form a bond between the polymer film and paper.

The biodegradable polymer film is created on a paper backing strip by spraying the polymer onto the paper surface, such that the polymer particles are bonded to the paper surface.

In a third form of the invention, the thin layer of starch coat is applying onto one surface of the paper. The process of coating can be done by brushing, spraying or rolling the starch in thin slurry form onto the paper surface. The biodegradable polymer film is laminated onto the starch-coated surface of the paper layer. Use of Pressure and heat can be a good adhesive bond between paper and polymer in which starch act as water-soluble adhesive between paper and polymer.

 For a three layer lamination cellophane (transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose) is used with the biodegradable polymer and paper, for an example paper layer, polymer layer and a cellophane layer. These three layers are combined together using heat and pressure. Paper coated with starch is called pre-coated paper.

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