Green plastic pellet bags?

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tmiraglia

New Member
Nov 26, 2007
49
Philadelphia
My wife really likes the fact that our new pellet stove is "green." But she says, "look at all these plastic bags we're using, isn't that a bad thing for the environment?"
 
The pellets I use (NEWP Green lettered bags) are #4 recyclable
plastic so naturally mine go in the recycle bin every other week.
I would guess that all the pellet mfg's use the same type of
plastics for the bags. Check your bags for the recycle logo.
 
zeta said:
The pellets I use (NEWP Green lettered bags) are #4 recyclable
plastic so naturally mine go in the recycle bin every other week.
I would guess that all the pellet mfg's use the same type of
plastics for the bags. Check your bags for the recycle logo.

Ditto. I believe that all of the brands we've used have that logo on them. I put the bags out with the comingled containers each week.
 
Unfortunately not all recycling centers will accept the empty pellet bags, even if they are marked with the #4 recycling logo. Our solid waste authority seems to recycle everything BUT empty plastic bags. I try and find alternate uses for the empties but will undoubtedly end up having to throw many away, which is a shame.
 
redhat said:
Our solid waste authority seems
to recycle everything BUT empty plastic bags.

Have you tried putting them in your recycle bin, or are you just going
on what their requirements say on paper? Reason I ask is, our recycling
program also states in their yearly pamphlet that they won't accept
plastic bags. Despite that, they have been taking the empty pellet bags
ever since we got this stove (3 yrs now).
 
We use our empty bags for regular garbage, they fit in our Kitchen garbage container when they are full, they go out to the garbage pails and get pick up by Sanitation,
we save money on our heating and buying garbage bags, and they don't rip as easy. This only works in the winter!!!
 
Since the bags supposedly have micro holes in them do you think they'd work to cover up small scrubs & garden plants to protect them from frost damage?

Isn't it amazing how quickly something you use every day can pile up like that? For me it's always been used baling twine and now I can add empty pellet bags. Hmmm, wonder if I could braid the two together and make a giant snow fence... :p
 
pegdot said:
Since the bags supposedly have micro holes in them do you think they'd work to cover up small scrubs & garden plants to protect them from frost damage?

Isn't it amazing how quickly something you use every day can pile up like that? For me it's always been used baling twine and now I can add empty pellet bags. Hmmm, wonder if I could braid the two together and make a giant snow fence... :p

Some of the old timers here in maine use plastics bags under mulch beds for landscaping, its a great weed blocker.

Not sure what I will do with mine seeing as this is my first season.
 
zeta said:
redhat said:
Our solid waste authority seems
to recycle everything BUT empty plastic bags.

Have you tried putting them in your recycle bin, or are you just going
on what their requirements say on paper? Reason I ask is, our recycling
program also states in their yearly pamphlet that they won't accept
plastic bags. Despite that, they have been taking the empty pellet bags
ever since we got this stove (3 yrs now).


The regional recycling center states in their pamphlets and on their web site that they won't take plastic bags. I personally haven't tried putting them in the recycling bin, a friend of mine tried last year and they left the pellet bags behind. Based on your experience I'll give it a try, I have nothing to lose at this point.
 
Thanks for the responses. They say they won't take plastic bags in my community either. These are very sturdy bags and we've used them for construction debris and kitchen garbage as well. I think they will make good bags for yard waste as well. Any other ideas welcome.
 
BXpellet said:
We use our empty bags for regular garbage, they fit in our Kitchen garbage container when they are full, they go out to the garbage pails and get pick up by Sanitation,
we save money on our heating and buying garbage bags, and they don't rip as easy. This only works in the winter!!!

We also use them often for lining small garbage cans. They work well for this!
 
zeta said:
Have you tried putting them in your recycle bin, or are you just going
on what their requirements say on paper? Reason I ask is, our recycling
program also states in their yearly pamphlet that they won't accept
plastic bags. Despite that, they have been taking the empty pellet bags
ever since we got this stove (3 yrs now).

Our recycling program also states they do not allow plastic bags.
I assumed the pellet bags were in that category so I have been
hoarding the empty bags until I figured out what to do with them.
After reading zeta's advice, I figured I would try this week to see if the recycle
truck would take them or leave them for the trash truck to pick up.
I tied my empty bags together in a roll with the #4 clearly
showing on top and put them out with my other recycles.

The recycle truck actually took them! Give it a try!
 
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