These days, several FMCG products, like washing powder and atta come in good quality plastic packaging. If properly segregated from other waste, these plastic wrappers fetch a good rate when sold to recyclers.
Sometimes (not always*) reusing is better than recycling. So another way ensuring that these plastic bags don’t go to landfills is by reusing them. How?
Check out my “Tide” shopping bag.
After emptying the 6 kg detergent into another container, cut off the top sealing. Rinse the packet, dry it and fold it at the top (I’ve folded it out) about 3/4 inch. The handles are made of nylon ribbon that were left over from a school craft project, with colours that match the bag! They have been machined on using large stitches.
My son says it is just right for him to carry his art material to school!
This Tide detergent was made at P&G’s Baddi plant. According to the P&G website, “P&G’s Baddi plant has adopted various innovative ideas to transform 575 tons of scrap material into useful daily needs. The melted plastic is being used for making chairs while the metal laminate is being applied as mixture with cement for construction. 380 tons of shampoo production waste has been converted to car washing agent. 5.5 tons of manufacturing scrap of skin care product has been turned into tire polishing material. The plant has achieved 40% reduction in carbon footprint over the last 3 years.”
Conversion of packs like these into reusable bags are interesting and utility-based craft projects that can also help in eliminating the use of disposable bags.
* – reusing can sometimes make an article non-recyclable later
arathimy 