Dallas Morning News to begin using biodegradable plastic delivery bags

by PegNews wire

GP Plastics Corporation, the leading manufacturer of polyethylene bags for the newspaper industry, announced that The Dallas Morning News will utilize oxo-biodegradable bags, a leading-edge alternative to conventional plastic bags.

Recently, The Dallas Morning News launched its newest publication, Briefing, using PolyGreen oxo-biodegradable bags. Over the next few weeks, the News will transition all of its other home-delivered publications from conventional to degradable plastic bags.

By some estimates, conventional plastic bags may remain in the environment for 500-1000 years. PolyGreen oxo-biodegradable bags typically degrade in two to three years, depending on landfill conditions. When exposed to air, the bags degrade completely in a few months.

Oxo-biodegradation occurs as a result of a two-stage process. First, PolyGreen's proprietary additive causes the plastic to oxidize when exposed to oxygen, heat, sunlight, or mechanical stress. The polyethylene molecules break down into smaller molecules, which are digested by microorganisms such as fungi or bacteria, leaving only water, carbon dioxide, and biomass, which are all natural substances. Results of tests at Willow Ridge Plastics in Erlanger, Kentucky, confirm that bags manufactured by GP Plastics containing its proprietary additive do meet the specification of an oxo-biodegradable plastic. Because the bags are made from conventional plastics with a proprietary additive, they are compatible with the existing recycle stream. In addition, the bags also feature water-soluble inks and non-lead based color concentrates.

Source: GP Plastics

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