Pellet Plastic Bags - Do they diminish the eco-friendly nature of burning pellets.

[StoLat]

First post ever and newbie pellet stove owner. Really digging the pellet lifestyle but after burning just over a ton so far this winter in the snowy North East, I am starting to think it's not as "green" as I thought it would be because of all the plastic bags I've discarded.

Like most plastic bags I do not believe the pellet bags can be thrown in the recycle bin. Anyone else have this concern/know if the industry is looking into making any bagging changes?

 

[Johnny_Fiv3]

Depends on your recycling program in your area. Where I'm at I just put them in the bin with all my other recyclables and the trash man takes them. Other things you can do to at least get some reuse out of them is use them as drop plastic. I used them when repainting my sons room, having to kneel in the snow working on the snow blower, layed on some when changing the oil in the car, and the best use yet was putting one in the bottom of the litter box then pouring the litter in. Makes emptying that nasty thing 10 times better. So, even if you can't recycle fully, you can at least reuse them.

 

[velvetfoot]

They recycle them here.

 

[MtDew]

Yup my recycling center accepts them as long as they have the recycling logo on the bag.

 

[elevenMracing]

In my area we don't have a recycling program that accepts them. I'd rather not put them through the burning barrel, while I'm no tree-hugger I still don't feel it's right to send huge clouds of black smoke up into the sky. A few weeks back I asked our local pellet stove/pellet dealer about this issue. He told me the bags would decompose within 5 years if placed in a landfill, I'm not sure I beleive this. He also said they would let me bring the bags back there to be reused by their parts department for shipping/packaging purposes. That's what I plan on doing, though I'm not sure he realizes that I'll be bringing him like 500 bags. Plan B is to try and take them to the local grocery store where there is a plastic recycling setup for those yellow grocery bags, not sure if they'll allow that or not. I have read of people doing this, but again I'm not sure if 500 bags will perceived as a bit too many. Perhaps I will break it down into a couple of different stops.

 

[ebengel]

Mine get recycled

 

[boo boo]

He told me the bags would decompose within 5 years if placed in a landfill

I don't see that happening either. Not with my bags anyway. 2 Years ago I put some under the shrubs as weed block and covered them with mulch and they are still going strong

 

[pfmaloney]

Every week during the burning season, I take the empty pellet bags to Lowes. They have a container for collecting platic bags for recycling in the front of the store right where you enter.

 

[elevenMracing]

[

Every week during the burning season, I take the empty pellet bags to Lowes. They have a container for collecting platic bags for recycling in the front of the store right where you enter.

I will look into the Lowes option as well seeing as I live within 10 minutes of one. Thanks!

 

[railfanron]

I take them to the grocery store also. I asked and they said yes. I roll the up tight and get 50 into one bag and drop it off every other month.
Ron

 

[StoLat]

I like the idea of taking them to the grocery/hardware store. The weed block is also interesting, but the paint on the bag may not be the best for the soil/vegetation/ground water.

The other wrinkle in the eco-friendly angle that I was thinking about are the petroleum products used in making the plastic bags ... granted this is just a wider issue with plastics.

 

[bogieb]

Some places will take those bags (along with water softner salt bags) for recycling. My transfer station doesn't, but I haven't bought any garbage bags since I started burning pellets. And, I don't have to try to be frugal either as I can use one bag for the cat pan clean out each week, another bag for household trash, and another bag for the odds and ends from work I'm doing at my house.

Never thought to check with the local grocery store - they already get all the rest of my plastic bags and bubbles and such, so I don't know why I didn't think of it.

 

[StoLat]

I like the idea of using them as garbage bags as well. It's such an obvious solution, but never thought of it.

 

[Bkins]

I wouldn't take 500 bags at once. It might overwhelm them. Might be a better idea to take them in stages. JMHO.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Myself, I don't buy into the recycling crap, least not around here. I've watched the refuse collectors empty the 'special recycling' cans.... They all go in the same hopper in the same truck, with everything else.

From what I see, recycling is 90% feel good and 10% reality Deposit bottles not included.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Additionally, the comment by the store owner about the bags degrading after a period of time is pure phooooey. That plastic will be there for eons.

Thats why some western states have outlawed plastic saboted muzzle loader bullets. The plastic sabot hangs around for eternity.

 

[chken]

My transfer station only takes #2 plastic, and the pellet bags I've had are #5. The LBT, leaf blower trick, is probably not that eco friendly either, since it kind of defeats the EPA particulate standard.

 

[SidecarFlip]

My transfer station only takes #2 plastic, and the pellet bags I've had are #5. The LBT, leaf blower trick, is probably not that eco friendly either, since it kind of defeats the EPA particulate standard.

In a BIG way......

 

[BrotherBart]

I take my crushed beer cans to the recyclers in my empty pellet bags. I am going to have to start burning more pellets.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I take my crushed beer cans to the recyclers in my empty pellet bags. I am going to have to start burning more pellets.

Killing 2 birds with one stone.......................

 

[SidecarFlip]

My transfer station only takes #2 plastic, and the pellet bags I've had are #5. The LBT, leaf blower trick, is probably not that eco friendly either, since it kind of defeats the EPA particulate standard.

I'm curious, what is the difference between number 2 and number 5 plastic?

 

[billb3]

If you have single or even dual stream recycling it all gets sorted when the truck's load is tipped.

My transfer station only takes #2 plastic, and the pellet bags I've had are #5. The LBT, leaf blower trick, is probably not that eco friendly either, since it kind of defeats the EPA particulate standard.

Um, the stove met the standard before the LBT was applied.
It doesn't matter if .02/hr of allowable particulate is blown out all at once, dumped on the ground or in incremental amounts it is still .02/hr.

 

[billb3]

I'm curious, what is the difference between number 2 and number 5 plastic?

(broken link removed)

 

[moey]

What makes you think pellets are eco-friendly? Lots of electricity goes into producing them. Anything that you buy in a plastic container and then recycle could be considered non eco-friendly. Recycling uses some nasty chemicals to get a product from A to B its just better then throwing it into a landfill.

 

[SidecarFlip]

(broken link removed)

I just learned something..... thanks.