Why not recycle our pellet bags

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Fish On

Fish On

Feeling the Heat
Oct 19, 2009
458
The other Cape..
wonderful that we all use a renewable product and going green and stick to the oil men, but why not use a recycle pellet bags.

It would be great if we could return the bags and use them again some how kind of like with the super markets or bring your own bag.

Has anyone every given this a thought, you can buy bulk as we all know just wondering if the plants would take back bags or make it that we all could just use it more then once?

I'm sure the cost would be crazy for such a thing but if they made a good bag as easy to open and a zip lock closure why not?
 
People used to have a coal chute for bulk coal delivery why not a pellet chute and bulk pellet bin in the basement?
would have to be a slow puring to minimize breakage.
My ski-doos are on idle too!
 
Fish On said:
......wondering if the plants would take back bags or make it that we all could just use it more then once? I'm sure the cost would be crazy for such a thing......
Click to expand...

I think you hit the nail on the head....cost.

Otherwise, in some places, the garbage/recycling company will take them, but in others (like mine), they won't. I fill as many as I can with regular garbage, and put them out with the trash.
 
pelletizer said:
People used to have a coal chute for bulk coal delivery why not a pellet chute and bulk pellet bin in the basement? ......
Click to expand...
Already available in many areas.
 
My bags go right in the recycle bin.
 
Check out the pellet manufacturing video and you will see exactly why it is impractical. But.... I fill about three bags with empties each year that go to the recycling center. They will take them, because they are heavy enough to reprocess, the Grocery store bags are not taken. I use many for shop trash and wet trash in the kitchen. I have some 3-4gallon buckets they slip over as liners. They will breakdown, eventually, but here the dump shreads them and "captures" some in their recycling.

Bulk orders are not put in bags, they are delivered in large trucks, farm country they are bulk feed trucks. They are placed in silos or storage bins without bagging. They are not interested in trying to bag. One local maker will sell 1,000 lb. bulk bags, but they are a groan to move without equipment. Brian is looking into using dry pack bins on pallets, but it's not practical so far, not enough interest.
 
littlesmokey said:
Check out the pellet manufacturing video and you will see exactly why it is impractical. But.... I fill about three bags with empties each year that go to the recycling center. They will take them, because they are heavy enough to reprocess, the Grocery store bags are not taken. I use many for shop trash and wet trash in the kitchen. I have some 3-4gallon buckets they slip over as liners. They will breakdown, eventually, but here the dump shreads them and "captures" some in their recycling.

Bulk orders are not put in bags, they are delivered in large trucks, farm country they are bulk feed trucks. They are placed in silos or storage bins without bagging. They are not interested in trying to bag. One local maker will sell 1,000 lb. bulk bags, but they are a groan to move without equipment. Brian is looking into using dry pack bins on pallets, but it's not practical so far, not enough interest.
Click to expand...

A dry bin almost like a pallet would be a great idea, something water proof open the lid, make it look nice in driveway scoop out and done. Heck I bet that would be great. Plus they could be returned the next year with a deposit, or just refill as the year goes like a oil delivery
 
As the bags that my pellets come in say that they are recycleable, once empty I just put them in the recylcle barrel. Glad that the town I live in has gone to single stream recycle barrels, just throw all recycles into one barrel with no sorting, if it fits, is gets picked up.
 
Marbleguy said:
As the bags that my pellets come in say that they are recycleable, once empty I just put them in the recylcle barrel. Glad that the town I live in has gone to single stream recycle barrels, just throw all recycles into one barrel with no sorting, if it fits, is gets picked up.
Click to expand...

Yeah marble, I tried that too, since the info from the recycler said they picked up plastics with that number, but the next day, I got the bags back in the bin, with a note saying that they picked up everything with that recycle number EXCEPT plastic bags..... :mad:
 
I use mine to cleanup after my dogs, great for dog poo have a two year supply.
 
My recycling center won't take 'em... they don't even take my old motor oil bottles even if I wash 'em... go figure.
 
We have single stream recycling and the guy who delivered the pellets said my community picks up recycle bags. So I put them out and they are gone. But I reuse a lot of them for wet garbage and junk. After last season I was still using them into June.
 
You can recycle the bags with the grocery store bags. Most grocery stores have a box for them and Lowes and Walmart do also.
 
Jambruins said:
You can recycle the bags with the grocery store bags. Most grocery stores have a box for them and Lowes and Walmart do also.
Click to expand...

When I have those light plastic bags from grocery shopping (I usually carry a canvas tote for heavy stuff), I recycle them in the boxes you mention. You're saying the pellet bags can also be recycled there?
 
Stentor said:
Jambruins said:
You can recycle the bags with the grocery store bags. Most grocery stores have a box for them and Lowes and Walmart do also.
Click to expand...

When I have those light plastic bags from grocery shopping (I usually carry a canvas tote for heavy stuff), I recycle them in the boxes you mention. You're saying the pellet bags can also be recycled there?
Click to expand...

Several years ago a guy walked into my shop and asked if I could use some waterproof carry bags. I looked at some reinforced 2 handle totes and said how much? He said, "You want the box?" "Yes, how bout ten bucks?" He left and I have a lifetime supply. Use them for anything that would fit in a grocery bag, but under 50lbs. I guess you could dump bulk pellets in one, but I don't have bulk.
 
Most Pellet Bags are made from number 4 plastic, With single stream recycling here, they get tossed into the BIG GREEN BIN. But I did have to throw one in the trash the other day - it held the remains of 2 red squirrels that had moved into my garage for the winter. Pulled out my sons Pellet gun and took aim. First shot missed and smashed my wifes vacation Mr Coffee, Turned around and critter # 2 was sitting on my 3 tons of Lignetics, To shoot or not to shoot that was the question. Bang another miss, had to mark that bag with a red marker for later sifting, For all You animal lovers out there - Trapped them twice before in a have a heart but 3 holes later in the garage face board set me over the edge and to see them running all over my pellet stack was the straw that broke the squirrels back. Sorry no trophy Pics - I did consider mounting them and placing them on top of my stove with a big Green Team Pellet between their paws but the bride nixed that idea. Good News...all is quite in the Garage now, Bad news... someday I'll have to tell the bride about Mr. Coffee.
 
I am all for not using the bags either - I mostly use biodegradable garbage bags - not the best or the cheapest but I am trying to do my part...
I know that woodpellets.com - who I get my pellets from - are doing bulk deliveries but not yet in my area. They go as far as Mass and are contemplating CT this year, but not New York yet. They also have 1 ton bags where the pellets are loose in 1 ton qty but they need to be scooped out and are a hassle when the there is only a little bit left. There is no way to have the pellets poured out of them - only to scoop them. They do take the bags back if they are in reusable condition - but this option is not available in my area yet either. :0(

But for when the option is available, what kind of storage facility would be appropriate?? I have looked all over and some mention the grain bin silos - if you want it outside with an auger feed mechanism into the house near the stove - very appealing to me since I have 2 herniated discs and carrying over 4 tons over the course of the year is a bit much for my neck. But what would something like this cost?? I would love to hear other options especially ones that will not require redelivery costs and can allow me to store outside but not having to lug them into the house - some kind of self-feeding system.
 
gotpooch said:
I am all for not using the bags either - I mostly use biodegradable garbage bags - not the best or the cheapest but I am trying to do my part...
I know that woodpellets.com - who I get my pellets from - are doing bulk deliveries but not yet in my area. They go as far as Mass and are contemplating CT this year, but not New York yet. They also have 1 ton bags where the pellets are loose in 1 ton qty but they need to be scooped out and are a hassle when the there is only a little bit left. There is no way to have the pellets poured out of them - only to scoop them. They do take the bags back if they are in reusable condition - but this option is not available in my area yet either. :0(

But for when the option is available, what kind of storage facility would be appropriate?? I have looked all over and some mention the grain bin silos - if you want it outside with an auger feed mechanism into the house near the stove - very appealing to me since I have 2 herniated discs and carrying over 4 tons over the course of the year is a bit much for my neck. But what would something like this cost?? I would love to hear other options especially ones that will not require redelivery costs and can allow me to store outside but not having to lug them into the house - some kind of self-feeding system.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an excellent topic for a thread. Put your ideas together in it's own heading and see the response. I'll write there, but not here :roll:
 
gotpooch said:
I am all for not using the bags either - I mostly use biodegradable garbage bags - not the best or the cheapest but I am trying to do my part...
I know that woodpellets.com - who I get my pellets from - are doing bulk deliveries but not yet in my area. They go as far as Mass and are contemplating CT this year, but not New York yet. They also have 1 ton bags where the pellets are loose in 1 ton qty but they need to be scooped out and are a hassle when the there is only a little bit left. There is no way to have the pellets poured out of them - only to scoop them. They do take the bags back if they are in reusable condition - but this option is not available in my area yet either. :0(

But for when the option is available, what kind of storage facility would be appropriate?? I have looked all over and some mention the grain bin silos - if you want it outside with an auger feed mechanism into the house near the stove - very appealing to me since I have 2 herniated discs and carrying over 4 tons over the course of the year is a bit much for my neck. But what would something like this cost?? I would love to hear other options especially ones that will not require redelivery costs and can allow me to store outside but not having to lug them into the house - some kind of self-feeding system.
Click to expand...

I spoke to woodpellets.com about bulk storage to possibly avoid moving 200+ bags every year. The salesman talked me out of it very quickly. He explained that there is no pricing benefit to buying in bulk because the offloading process takes so long that it adds to the cost of delivery. Aside from offierng no real savings on the pellets themselves, the equipment that I would need to allow the truck to pump pellets into my basement would cost between $500-$600. In the end, it makes sense for me to continue to stack bags. We have a transfer station here and they accept the plastic bags in the recycling.
 
I'm glad I found this blog. I just got my stove a week ago and I've wondered what to do with these bags. I guess for the time being I'll use them for garbage bags. I recycle almost everything so I don't really use many garbage bags. I'm hoping the grocery store will take them with the recycled grocery bags.
 
Welcome Mobley from an ex-woodburner.

Does your recycling company takes the bags? Some do, some don't.

BTW, since your new, why not post some pics of your install....we LOVE pics!
 
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