Konstantin Rzaev comments on the environmental friendliness of bags in Rossiyskaya Gazeta
Konstantin Rzaev, Managing Partner of EcoPartners Group of Companies, talked about the life cycle of bags in an article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
According to his expert assessment, the most environmentally friendly and recyclable bags are polyethylene bags, not paper bags. This is confirmed by a study conducted by EcoTechnologies for Yandex Lavka, which led the express delivery service to switch from paper to polyethylene bags for deliveries.
"A bag is a product made of polyethylene film, so the thicker it is, the better it is recyclable. Because of its physical and mechanical properties, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is used to make thinner bags ("rustle" "mike" bags) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used to make thicker bags. Accordingly, recycling HDPE bags is extremely difficult, especially if the bag is contaminated, while LDPE bags, like LDPE film, are easily and massively recycled. As a result of bag recycling, garbage bags, corrugated drainage pipes and household items are produced".
Biodegradable bags are becoming increasingly common in stores. As Konstantin Rzaev points out, they are made from vegetable raw materials such as corn or potatoes. They are not recyclable: when different types of bags are mixed, recyclers do not get high-quality "secondary products".