Old Bags (Used Bags) Recycling Process Complete Guide

September 9, 2023 WealthInWastes

Old bags are so many around the world today because 90% of individuals have bags at home, in their offices, as well as a bag they carry along when going out.

These bags are one of the most common waste materials that are generated every day and are generally thrown away into landfills without looking at their composition.

There are different types of bags that are being used at home, offices, and being carried around.

Most of these bags are made from plastics, textiles (fibre), as well animal skins, they all have their ways of recycling, while some cannot be recycled.

The methods used in recycling plastic or textile bags won’t be the same method used in recycling a bag made from animal skins.

However, they all have the same procedures. The recycling process of bags can be summarized in the following steps: collection, sorting, cleaning, and processing.

This process will ensure that full and proper recycling of bags is done.

Bags recycling can be a fairly straightforward procedure that can be easily completed at home, however not all bags can be recycled at home. Some need to be carried to recycling centres.

The types of bags that can be recycled include grocery bags, bread bags, produce bags, dry-cleaning bags, and more.

When it comes to recycling these bags, the process as listed above can be explained:

1. Collection

Various recycling processes start with the collection of items that want to be recycled.

Moreover, the recycling process of bags also begins with the collection of used or old bags from various sources.

These bags can be collected from places such as stores, households, and public places.

However, in some locations, collection bins are often put out to the public, so that people can easily dispose of their used bags.

For instance, going to stores where bags are mostly used or dumped, will be likely that those bags are not useful anymore for the owners, and instead of leaving them there, collecting those bags to recycle them will be great.

2. Sorting

The second step involved in the recycling of used or old bags is to sort them out by their types or categories.

Are they plastic?

Are they made from animal skins or textiles?

What are the colors?

By answering these questions when sorting out these bags, you will know how to sort out the bags by their types, categories, and color.

The bags can also be sorted into different colours if likely all are of some type or category.

3. Cleaning

There’s no way you will want to recycle your bags where you won’t clean them.

However, the third step in the recycling process of bags is the cleaning of the bags. Once the bags are being collected from various locations and sorted out into various types, colors, and categories, the bags must be also free from dirt and debris.

For this to be done, it involves washing them thoroughly until they are free from contaminants, dirt, and debris.

4. Processing

The final process is to recycle the bags. The recycling process of used bags begins by removing any excess material from the bag, such as metal or plastic handles, labels, zippers, and other attachments.

This is usually done by hand, but can also be done with a machine.

The next step is to cut the bag into small pieces, which can be done by hand or machine, especially if the bags are made of plastic.

However not all bags can be recycled but they can also be reused after cutting them into various parts, they can be remade or turned into new products.

But for plastic bags, after being cut into smaller pieces, they are heated until it liquefies. Then molten plastic is then poured into a mold to create new bags.

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