Since the 1950s, worldwide plastic production has increased 300 times over. From plastic jars and bottles, to packaging and toys, nearly everything we buy has some sort of plastic component. There is no doubt that plastic is a useful material. Unfortunately, plastic that ends up in landfills and waterways can remain intact for hundreds of years, damaging natural resources and wildlife.

The good news: PAC can help. Plastic recycling is more popular and readily available than ever. PAC’s poly mailers are made from 100% recyclable plastic. Although some plastic items can be placed in curbside recycling bins, poly mailers require a special kind of processing and can only be recycled at a facility that can process plastic film. Did you know you can drop poly mailers off to be recycled at grocery store plastic collection points? They go in the same container as the used plastic grocery bags.

Once the bags are collected, they are baled and transported to specialized recycling facilities where they are hand sorted and cleaned to remove contaminants. Then, the plastic is formed into tiny pellets and packaged for future use. These pellets can be used to make new bags, or to make other things like composite lumber, outdoor furniture, water pipes and nanotechnology.

There are many different types of plastics, and each have different properties. Some plastics are better at resisting moisture. Some are hard and brittle, while others are soft and pliable. It is rare that a plastic will end up being recycled into the same product that it once was, but wherever it ends up it will get a new life. Plastic can be recycled six to seven times before it reaches the end of its life.

Although it may seem like a complex process, recycling plastic has far more benefits than drawbacks. Poly mailers are made from fossil fuels, a natural resource that is finite. Recycling gives manufacturers access to new material without the need for more fossil fuels. It takes less energy to recycle plastic then it does to create new plastic. Recycling plastic just makes sense.

Our poly mailers are one of the most sustainable products in the packaging industry. Not only are they recyclable, but some are made with recycled content. Learn more about how different types of packaging stack up on sustainability and find out how to recycle poly mailers on our website.