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Environmental and Health Issues and Recommendations  Prevents Waste:
As we strive to be a zero waste state, we must manage waste by first preventing waste whenever possible and managing all "waste" materials to their highest and best use.
- Eliminate unnecessary can liners. For example, using small desktop containers without liners, which are then emptied daily into a central trash bag, reduces the use of individual trash can liners.
- Reducing the thickness of trash bags, while maintaining high performance is an effective strategy for preventing waste.
- Film waste can be prevented by reusing bags. For example, reusable cloth bags can be used many times to store dry recyclable materials.
 Recycled Content:
By using the plastic films that have been diverted from the waste stream (e.g., packaging, construction, agriculture, etc.) in the manufacture of trash bags, both energy and natural resources can be saved.
Recycled content plastic waste bags, or trash bags, are usually manufactured with 10 percent, by weight, postconsumer plastic resin; however, some trash bags can have up to 100 percent postconsumer resin (PCR). Not all plastic trash bags have recycled content, so when purchasing bags it is important to specify that the bags have at least 10 percent postconsumer material.  Material Availability:
As a result of California's Plastic Trash Bag law, recycled content plastic trash bags are readily available. The California Integrated Waste Management Board annually publishes lists of compliant trash bag manufacturers and non-compliant manufacturers and wholesalers.
Compostable bags used for the collection of yard trimmings and food waste are also available. These bags can be used in large venue events and restaurant food scrap collection programs, where compostable bags and food service products can be collected in conjunction with food waste.  Less Hazardous:
Although some pigmented and printed trash bags may contain heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, manufacturers are trying to avoid the use of heavy metals and toxic chemical additives. The use of water or vegetable-based inks should be considered as an option to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) during the printing process.  End-of-Life Management:
Trash bags are designed to be disposed in landfills. However, some compostable bags are used to collect yard trimmings and food wastes for diversion to commercial compost facilities where microorganisms convert them to biomass, water, and carbon dioxide.  Waste/Materials Management:
Plastics represent 9.5 percent by weight, or 3.8 million tons, of the total solid waste disposed in California. Plastic trash bags alone represent 1.0 percent, or 390,460 tons, of the total solid waste disposed in California. [1]
See the Introduction for complete descriptions of these environmental and health issues.
BACKGROUND AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH ISSUES
Trash bags are non-packaging plastic products designed to store, handle, transport, and dispose waste in a safe manner. They are sold in different designs, colors, strengths, sizes, grades, thicknesses, and resins. The designs include bags with sealed bottoms to prevent leakage and perforations for tear-off and dispensing convenience. Hospitals and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) use pigmented bags with specially imprinted symbols. Hospitals, for instance, use red bags to dispose infectious wastes. Prisons use transparent bags to easily identify bag contents for recycling and ensure that dangerous items are kept out of prisoners' hands. Bags come in a variety of colors including, metallic silver, grey granite, blue, yellow, brown, orange and natural. They can be clear or opaque. Some bags contain a deodorizer that quickly destroys or masks tough odors.
Bags are sold in different grades that include light, medium, standard, regular, industrial/commercial, heavy, extra-heavy, and super heavy. Low density (LDPE), high density (HDPE), linear low density (LLDPE), and high molecular weight high density polyethylene (HMW-HDPE) are the most typical resins used in the manufacture of trash bags. These resins are not toxic. However, some of the chemical additives in the film could be toxic. Some trash bags contain antistatic, antibacterial, antioxidant, and pigmented products that could be toxic to humans and the environment. Of special concern is the presence of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium in pigments and dyes used in printing.
LAWS AND GUIDELINES
California
Statute State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC)
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Requirements
- Public Contract Code (PCC) section 12203 requires State agencies (including California State Universities) to ensure that at least 50 percent of the dollars spent on plastic products be spent on plastic products with at least 10 percent postconsumer recycled content [exception: see content requirements for printer and duplication cartridges in PCC 12209(f)(2)].
- The SABRC plastic products (PL) category includes, but is not limited to, trash bags, printer or duplication cartridges, diskettes, carpet, office products, plastic lumber, buckets, wastebaskets, containers, benches, tables, fencing, clothing, mats, packaging, signs, posts, binders, sheet, buckets, building products, garden hose, and trays (see PCC section 12207).
- Recycled-Content Certification Requirements
- PCC section 12205 requires all State agencies to obtain from all suppliers written certification of the postconsumer recycled content of each product offered or sold to the State. Recycled-content certification forms are available in the SABRC training manual.
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Report
- Recycled-Content Product Procurement Contract Language
- PCC section 12217(f) directs State agencies to remove contract provisions that impede the consideration of recycled products and to replace them with performance standards.
Manufacturers
Public Resources Code (PRC) section 42291 states that every manufacturer of regulated bags must meet one of the following requirements:
- "Ensure that its plastic trash bags intended for sale in this state contain a quantity of recycled plastic postconsumer material equal to at least 10 percent of the weight of the regulated bags," or
- "Ensure that at least 30 percent of the weight of the material used in all of its plastic products intended for sale in this state is recycled plastic postconsumer material."
Wholesalers
Wholesalers are required to certify the names of the trash bag manufacturers from whom they purchase plastic trash bags (see PRC section 42294). The California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) posts a list of compliant manufacturers and non-compliant manufacturers and wholesalers. The compliant list is a resource listing of companies that make some bags that have at least 10 percent postconsumer plastic. Manufacturers and wholesalers must also be certified annually by the CIWMB before state of California agencies and departments can purchase from them. State agencies are prohibited from contracting with non-compliant companies for trash bags or any other products. For more information, see the CIWMB's Recycled-Content Trash Bag Program Web page.
Labeling
Chapter 619, Statutes of 2004 (Karnette, SB 1749) prohibits a person from selling a plastic bag that is labeled "compostable," "biodegradable," "degradable," or anything similar unless the bag meets an existing American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specification for the term used on the label. This law is intended to prevent deceiving or misleading claims about the environmental impact of plastic bags by making such claims conform to uniform and universally recognized standards.
Federal
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act requires procuring agencies to buy recycled-content products designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG). Plastic trash bags are USEPA-designated items. "Procuring agencies include all federal agencies, and any state or local government agencies or government contractors that use appropriated federal funds to purchase the designated items. If your agency spends more than $10,000 per year on a product designated in the CPG, you are required to purchase it with the highest recycled-content level practicable." [2] This means that the recycled-content ranges recommended in the USEPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) for the item in question are met. [3],[4] The USEPA's recommended recovered materials content levels for plastic trash bags are available on-line.
"Executive Order 13101 and the Federal Acquisition Regulation also call for an increase in the federal government's use of recycled-content and environmentally preferable products." [5]
PERFORMANCE
The performance of trash bags depends mostly on the type of resin used in their manufacture. Bags using LDPE have good clarity but lack strength. LLDPE bags, instead, have excellent strength with high puncture and tear resistance. HMW-HDPE is the higher-performing resin. It makes trash bags three times stronger and more durable than LDPE and LLDPE. Two or more resins can also be blended to enhance the performance of the bags. There are also special catalysts such as the metallocenes that make the film thinner and stronger. Metallocene LLDPE is gaining popularity because of its high clarity and increased strength. [6]
Any bag can fail if stressed beyond its intended use. Performance features such as puncture and tear resistance should be reviewed before choosing any bag, regardless of whether it has recycled content. Recycled-content bags that meet D882 ASTM standards will perform properly under normal service requirements. ASTM D882 covers the determination of tensile properties of plastics in the form of thin sheeting, including film (less than 1.0 millimeter in thickness). When purchasing bags, work with the vendor to determine the size, thickness, durability and other performance requirements that are appropriate for your application. [7] Following are some of the most common performance requirements for trash bags:
- Dart Drop Test - used to determine the resistance of a bag to local failure or puncturing of the film
- Elmendorf Tear Test - used to measure the resistance to tearing or puncture
- Wet Load Capacity - measurement of how much wet weight a can liner will hold
- Dry Load Capacity - measurement of how much dry weight a can liner will hold
AVAILABILITY
The availability of bags featuring recycled content is somewhat dependent on the type of bag. For bags ranging in capacity from seven to 56 gallons and in thickness from 0.35 to 1.35 millimeters (mm), recycled-content bags are widely available; some with up to 100 percent postconsumer recycled content plastic. However, recycled content may be difficult to find in certain colors, sizes, and thicknesses. Moreover, specialty bags - such as food service, laboratory, and hospital waste bags - may have requirements that limit recycled content. [8]
All plastic trash bag manufacturers that sell regulated bags into the California marketplace are required to annually certify to the CIWMB that they meet one of the two postconsumer content requirements set forth in statute (see Manufacturers under "Laws and Guidelines.") The lists of compliant and non-compliant trash bag manufacturers are annually posted on the CIWMB's Board's Web site. State agencies are prohibited from contracting with non-compliant companies for trash bags or any other product or service.
See Vendors for sources of trash bags.
COST
The cost of recycled-content plastic trash bags depends on the vendor, type of bag, and special attributes or design of the bags, but pricing is comparable to non-recycled content bags. Printing and other designs add to the cost of trash bags, whether or not the bags contain recycled material. It is important to explore several vendors to get the best price. Billions of trash bags are imported from Asia where resin prices and labor costs are lower than in the U.S.
As for packaging, bags sold on a roll in a plastic bag are usually cheaper than those sold in a box, but some are not as easy to remove from the roll. What is gained in cost may be lost in convenience.
The evaluation criteria for trash bag bids should include the cost of testing samples of the product. For example, the Department of General Services (DGS) procurement program contracts with a testing laboratory and DGS bears the cost of initial laboratory testing of bags they may purchase. In other cases, the state entity (e.g., Caltrans) bears the cost of the initial laboratory testing after awarding the contract. Should the product fail laboratory testing and should a laboratory retest be necessary to determine the acceptability of replacement bags, the supplier bears all costs associated with the laboratory retest.
Tips on Buying Trash Bags
- Before purchasing recycled trash bags in large quantities, ask for testing results to ensure that you are getting a product with acceptable performance. Keep copies of test results. This will help resolve disputes and provide information to public and private agencies interested in using the product tested.
- Give preference to bids offering recycled content or award additional points based on the level of recycled content offered in the bid. Be sure to specify that bags have at least 10 percent postconsumer recycled content.
- Performance features such as puncture and tear resistance should be reviewed before choosing any bag, regardless of whether it has recycled content.
- Purchase bags that match performance with intended use. Ask for testing results to confirm performance. Also, keep in mind that thinner bags will reduce the amount of plastic going to the landfill.
- The type of closure device also matters. Flaps and handles are strongest. Drawstrings are less sturdy, but their contrasting color makes finding the bag's opening easier. [9]
SPECIFICATIONS
California
Performance or product specifications (see ASTM specifications below) for trash bags are preferred over material specifications because product specifications are based on performance characteristics. Method and material specifications sometimes limit the use of recycled-content products by disqualifying recycled feedstock or recycling-based technologies and processes.
California
The Procurement Engineering Team of the Procurement Division of the Department of General Services (DGS) develops and reviews specifications for statewide commodity standards and information technology. The DGS established the minimum requirements for plastic waste receptacle liners and bags. The supplier shall provide to the Procurement Division a written letter certifying the bags offered comply with the DGS' specification including packaging requirements, dart impact, and load performance test. The DGS classifies bags into five categories:
- Category I bags may be made of any type of plastic
- Category II bags must be made of polyethylene or ethylene copolymer
- Category III bags shall be the same as Category I except that they may be colored and intended to maximize postconsumer recycled content
- Category IV bags shall be the same as Category II except that that they may be colored and intended to maximize postconsumer recycled content
- Category V bags covers specialized bags used by Caltrans.
These categories were developed to differentiate between large and small orders. Smaller orders (less than 1,000 bags), for instance, are placed in Category I. Because bags in Categories III and IV correspond to larger orders, suppliers charge less per bag.
ASTM Specifications
Reference the following documents, or their latest revisions, for performance requirements and for testing purposes:
| ASTM D 882-95A |
Tensile Strength |
| ASTM D 1922-94A |
Elmendorf Tear Resistance |
| ASTM D 1709-91 |
Dart Drop Test |
| ASTM D 5033-90 |
Standards Relating to the Proper Use of Recycled Plastic |
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Specifications
USEPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) 2002 recommend trash bags with a postconsumer recycled content between 10 percent and 100 percent. The United States General Services Administration's (GSA) Commercial Item Description (CID) for general purpose plastic bags, A-A-2299B, covers plastic trash bags for office and food service use. CID A-A-1668D covers rip resistant bags for outdoor and medical waste applications. According to the information available to USEPA, neither CID A-A-2299B nor A-A-1668D precludes the use of recovered materials content in the manufacture of plastic trash bags. [10]
Other States
Minnesota uses a set of comprehensive specifications for trash bags. These specifications include scope, classification, reference ASTM standards, performance, technical data, and product testing. All this information is part of Appendix G.3 of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB) of Minnesota.
Several states, including Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Delaware, have their own specifications for plastic trash bags containing recovered materials. Most of the states require a minimum of 10 percent postconsumer recycled content. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires all bags made from 100 percent LLDPE to contain a minimum of 20 percent postconsumer recycled content. The performance requirements under Wisconsin's specifications define features quantitatively in terms of properties, test methods, and thickness by bag category.
Tips for Writing Specifications
- Survey the marketplace to become familiar with available products and features
- Define performance and features quantitatively in terms of tolerances, ranges, thresholds, and limits (see the specifications used by Minnesota discussed above)
- Use enforcement words "shall, must, minimum, maximum, less than, no more than, and shall not exceed" to describe required limits
- Do not over specify
- Include environmental safety language requiring bags and printing free of heavy metals and toxic additives
- Include in your specifications for trash bags that suppliers (if you order or purchase directly) or your janitorial service (if they order or purchase) meet or exceed the California Plastic Trash Bag Law's minimum recycled content requirements while meeting your performance, cost, and availability standards
VENDORS
Vendors can be found through the following online resources:
California
State Contracts
Recycled-content trash bags (aka "liners") are available from companies with state contracts. For more information, visit the California Strategic Sourcing Initiative Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) Supplies Web page. Note: To find detailed product descriptions on contractors' Web sites, it may be necessary to view their on-line "Big Book" or larger catalog. Look for terms such as "post consumer," "post consumer resin," and "recycled." For example, go to the Maintenance, Repair and Operating (MRO) Supplies Web page and see the Web sites for MSC Industrial Supply Company (bag: Reclaim 100; see its Big Book page) and Grainger Industrial Supply (bag brand: Tough Guy. Some Tough Guy bags have the following terms somewhere in their descriptions: "material post consumer resin" and "post consumer waste trash can liners").
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
Other
Federal Government
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) - Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) Supplier Database
The USEPA's CPG Supplier Database is a searchable database of vendors who sell or distribute CPG-designated products with recycled content. This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers of trash bags containing recovered materials.
- General Services Administration (GSA)
GSA Advantage lists products, including recycled-content and CPG-compliant trash bags, available through the Federal Supply Service.
Minnesota State Contracts
One of Minnesota's vendors offers recycled-content trash bags. For more information, see the "Vendors" heading in the Plastic Waste Bags section of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB) of Minnesota.
Office Supply Outlets
Many sizes and styles of recycled-content plastic waste bags are available from most office supply catalogs and outlets. Typically, office supply catalogs mark recycled-content products with a green recycling symbol. When shopping in office supply stores, check the packaging or shelf tags for information on whether the product has recycled content, and what percentage is postconsumer recycled content.
SUCCESS STORIES
City of San José, CA
The city of San José recognized that with ever-increasing amounts of materials being collected, the city needed to protect its investment in its own recycling program. To make sure the collected recyclables eventually end up in products bought by other agencies and businesses, the city set a good example by increasing the amount of recycled-content products (RCP) purchased. San José currently buys over 40 types of RCPs that include janitorial products such as plastic trash can liners, and plastic refuse bags. [11]
State of California
As reported in the trash bag certification program, the State used approximately 3,750 tons of postconsumer material in 2005. According to the Department of General Services, the state of California spends between $2million and $3 million per year in purchasing trash bags.
An advisory committee developed a waste reduction program that has been implemented in the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) Headquarters Building in Sacramento. As part of its waste reduction program, Cal/EPA's staff uses mini desktop garbage cans, without liners, with central collection bins instead of trash cans in each office. In this way, far fewer trash bags are needed. Trash bag use is also reduced through the implementation of reusable cloth liners, instead of trash bags, in the receptacles used to collect dry recyclable materials. The elimination of garbage can liners in each office space eliminated $65,000 in annual purchases. Likewise, the use of reusable cloth bags in the centrally located recycling bins saves $27,000 per year. See Greening Your Building Toward Your Bottom Line for additional information on these and other waste reduction activities.
Cities of Berkeley and San Francisco, CA
Berkeley and San Francisco use biodegradable plastic bags for the collection and composting of their commercial food scraps, food-soiled paper, wax-cardboard, and green waste. While San Francisco's composting program accepts only bags certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), Berkeley accepts non-BPI certified polyethylene-based biodegradable bags. [12] Although not as strong as the petroleum-based bags, the compostable bags in both programs are performing satisfactorily. While prices go down, performance and availability of compostable bags are expected to increase.
RESOURCES AND WEBSITES
American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
West Conshohocken, PA
(610) 832-9585
ASTM International is a non-profit organization for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Based on ASTM performance standards, bags are categorized as light, medium, heavy, extra-heavy, and extra-heavy-duty.
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
New York, NY
(888) 274-5646
The International Biodegradable Products Institute is a multi-stakeholder association of key individuals and groups from government, industry, and academia promoting the use and recovery of biodegradable plastic materials. BPI introduced a logo that certifies a product as being compostable in municipal and commercial composting sites.
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
Sacramento, CA
(916) 341-6000
The CIWMB's mission is to reduce waste, promote the management of all materials to their highest and best use, and protect public health and safety and the environment, in partnership with all Californians.
- Plastic Trash Bag Program
The CIWMB monitors the provisions of the Public Resources Code with respect to plastic trash bag mandates. Manufacturers and wholesalers selling trash bags in California must meet the mandates and be certified annually by the CIWMB before state of California agencies and departments can purchase from them.
- Recycled-Content Product (RCP) Directory
This directory has been set up to assist individuals, small business owners, state agencies, and corporate buyers in the commitment to buy recycled. The RCP Directory lists thousands of products containing recycled materials as well as information about the manufacturers, distributors, and re-processors of these products.
- State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign
The State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign (SABRC) is a joint effort between the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) and the Department of General Services (DGS) to implement State law requiring State agencies and the Legislature to purchase products with recycled content.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
St. Paul, MN
(651) 296-6300 or (800) 657-3864
MPCA is a state agency that provides information, assistance, grants, and loans in the areas of waste, pollution prevention, recycling, reuse, and environmental education. MPCA's Web site houses many resources on plastic waste bags, including a vendor list and a success story.
Recycled Plastic Products Directory
Arlington, VA
(800) 2-HELP-90
The American Plastics Council, a trade association for plastics manufacturers, maintains a Web site containing information on recycled-content plastic products such as trash bags, as well as information on recycling plastics.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Washington, D.C.
(202) 272-0167
In order to assist federal agencies in purchasing environmentally preferable products and services, USEPA offers a range of public information about products such as trash bags. Visit USEPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) Web site for its Recycled Material Advisory Notices (RMAN), which recommend recycled-content levels. Since 2004, USEPA has offered fact sheets that summarize CPG information, USEPA's recovered materials content recommendations, case studies from around the country, and key resources, associations, and Web sites. For information on trash bags, see the 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Nonpaper Office Products Fact Sheet.
[1] State of California. California Integrated Waste Management Board. 2003 California Waste Characterization Study. Available at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/plastic/.
[2] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Nonpaper Office Products Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm. Accessed on August 23, 2006.
[3] From California Integrated Waste Management Board staff communication with Office of the Federal Environmental Executive staff on December 12, 2005.
[4] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Nonpaper Office Products Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm. Accessed on August 23, 2006.
[5] United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004 Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines Buy-Recycled Series Nonpaper Office Products Fact Sheet. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/cpg/factshts.htm.
[6] Bart Thedinger. Trash Bags & Liners Grow at Rate of GDP. Plastics Technology. Available at http://www.ptonline.com/articles/200303bib2.html.
[7] Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board of Minnesota, Environmental Preferable Purchasing Guide. Section 10.3. Available at http://www.greenguardian.com/.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] United States Environmental Protection Agency. RMAN for Items Designated in the Comprehensive Procurement Guideline - Supporting Analysis. Available at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/comp/rmanpdf.pdf.
[11] City of San José. Recycled Products: The Way in San José. California Integrated Waste Management Board publication available at http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/publications/BuyRecycled/42296071.doc.
[12] Kass, Larry. Expanding Participation in Food Recycling Programs. BioCycle, September 2004. p. 43.
Special Note: Portions of the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Best Practices Manual were borrowed or adapted from the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board of Minnesota.
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