So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

.... when I get something shipped to my home, it's ok for them to put in an EXCESSIVE amount of those plastic air filled pillows.

I got something big shipped from TRU this weekend.
The toy was in a pretty big box but they shipped it in a HUGE cardboard box and inside was about 50 of those air pillows.
I always puncture them and let all the air out before disposing of them, otherwise they take up the whole garbage.

So after about 15 minutes of puncturing them and squeezing all the air out, I crumpled it all up and it was a very large amount of plastic in my garbage. Way more than a plastic bag.

Now if I had bought this toy in the store, they would have charged me 5 cents for a plastic bag that would have produced a LOT less waste than their plastic packing materials would have.

I know you need something to ship stuff in and prevent it from moving around in transit, and I suppose these are better than the Styrofoam peanuts they used to use, but when I tell you how excessive the number of air pillows were they had in this box.... it was crazy.
The item wasn't even fragile or anything.

So all this plastic waste. At least the cardboard box I can recycle.

Makes no sense.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

I guess because the plastic bag thing is Suffolk County but shipments come from all over. Pretty sure it will be a national thing soon enough though.

So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Those plastic air things are actually recyclable. I don't know if there are any collection places locally but they usually have a website on them to look it up. I have a small batch stashed away but haven't checked yet. I'm a big recycler but I'm bad with these and usually toss them.

I also hate that when you order clothes from Amazon they often come in thick plastic pouches. What is the point of those? So wasteful.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

I think you can recycle those plastic pillows & teh thin plastic bags most clothes are wrapped in. Not in your regular recycling, but in the bins at stores. I don't know if Suffolk stores will have the bins still, if they are getting rid of the bags, but by me ( in estchester) I stuff them in grocery bags & recycle them at Rite Aid or Stop & Shop.

from Recycle bank.com:

Most plastic air pillows used to cushion goods can be recycled similarly to plastic bags and other plastic films: This means that they should not go in your recycling cart and through standard recycling facilities, but you can recycle them by dropping them off along with your plastic grocery bags at most grocery stores — use the American Chemistry Council’s Plastic Film Recycling Drop Off Directory to find a drop-off location near you. One exception to the drop-off rule: Air pillows that are made with biodegradable or compostable plastic (they’ll often be clearly labeled as such) are not accepted. But you can save any air pillows to reuse in your own packages, or look into recycling programs like SealedAir's mail-in program for their products.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

5 cents for a plastic bag at the supermarket is cheap. I pay 15 cents if I need one here.

As for the plastic packaging, I usually try to reuse it somehow. But we have special recycling things on the street here, so if I don’t use it, then I put it in the proper receptacle. The garbage situation is that I have to pay extra to get more garbage taken away. I’m very aware of what I use.

I don’t think plastic bags at supermarkets are comparable to all the plastic used in shipping. They probably work it into the shipping cost.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

I just find all that plastic in those air pillows wasteful.

It did have a recycle symbol on it, but like a PP said, who knows where the nearest facility is.
I will have to look it up.

That's another thing- the only thing I can recycle at my curb is paper, corrugated cardboard, metal, glass, and only type 1 and 2 plastics.

A lot of things come in containers with a 5 or 6 symbol- NOPE they won't take them.

Why?

I feel like we need to have better/more recycling facilities readily available

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Many people do not recyclable properly because they dont read the Town instructions and throw anything in their pails. However, if everyone knew the cost to their pockets that it cost the town and recycling center to RE-sort everyone garbage... very sad.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Here's my vent...

I bring my own bags. I feel like the lines are so much slower. I feel like the cashier won't even help you if you bring your own bags. Then they take the next person and then I feel like I am on super market sweep, throwing what ever I can into my bags because I feel like I am slowing down the line.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...

Message edited 3/21/2018 3:54:01 PM.

Re: So they charge 5 cents for a plastic bag but...