Reinventing the refuse sack

We've all heard the saying:'If it ain't broke,don't fix it'. Not so long ago that was an expression that summed up many people's attitudes towards the practice of waste management. But now all that has changed, according to bpi.recycled products




Minimising their negative impact on the environment is an increasing priority for many businesses which has brought about demand for a new generation of solutions that not only enable them to dispose of waste effectively and efficiently, but that can perform this function while minimising our impact on the planet.




It is little surprise then that ranges such as bpi's 100% recycled refuse sacks are seeing an increase in demand. Known as The Green Sack, they have emerged as a popular choice for many UK contract cleaners, foodservice companies, cleaning product distributors and facility management providers thanks to their green credentials.




Keeping it green by keeping it British
The sacks - which include: refuse sacks, compactor sacks, pedal bin liners, wheelie bin liners, laundry sacks and rubble and gardening sacks - are made from 100% recycled waste plastic, helping to divert waste from landfill and conserving valuable virgin resources and they are also made from UK waste recycled entirely at UK facilities.




"People may think that all 100% recycled refuse sacks are created equal"explains Lorcan Mekitarian, sales director at bpi,"but that's not strictly the case.Many are actually made from waste exported to the Far East where it's recycled before the finished sack is re-exported back to Europe again.




"The problem with this is that it leads to products with exceptionally high product miles and a massive carbon footprint.So much so, that it can effectively offset the benefits of using a recycled refuse sack to begin with.




"By marked contrast, the Green Sack range is made from UK waste recycled at bpi.recycled products'own network of Environment Agency approved UK recycling sites.This ensures they have a carbon footprint up to 35% smaller than refuse sacks made from virgin materials and considerably lower than 100% recycled refuse sacks made in the Far East."




Advances in technology ensure quality
We've probably all experienced greener products that aren't as effective as their not so green counterparts. In the case of the Green Sack range however bpi believes that it has succeeded in creating products that set new standards in sustainability - and performance.




In particular, the business insists on using specific types of waste as its raw material and this includes significant amounts of material from agricultural sources - such as used silage balewrap and scrap horticultural polytunnels.




The reason why is simple; by employing advanced washing, shredding, recycling and production technology, the manufacturer can actually recycle this material in a way that retains much of its original strength.The result is a range of refuse sacks with unprecedented strength and tear resistance - and from a thinner thickness of film.




Bpi.recycled products has also sought ways of adding value and of addressing the needs specific to the cleaning sector. In line with this, the manufacturer has introduced a handy dispenser known as 'The Cube' which offers ease of use and ease of storage. It has also continued to extend the Green Sack range with just some of the latest additions including clinical waste sacks and bags for recycling schemes.




In addition, the manufacturer has sought certification under the CHSA (Cleaning and Hygiene Suppliers Association) Manufacturing Standard Accreditation Scheme.This provides customers with the reassurance that Green Sack sacks are manufactured to independently assessed standards and that they're sold in an honest and ethical way. Ultimately, they can be sure that what it says 'on the box' is 'what's in the box'; in the case of the Green Sack range, that seems to be refuse sacks that are green in name - and greener in nature.