Headquarters:  12850 Midway Place

Cerritos, CA 90703

PH:  800.456.6935   Fax:  562.623.2558 

Home      |      About us      |      Contact      |      Site Map                   

Environmental Considerations

Some plastic manufacturing facts:

• When delivering the bags, the quantity of plastic bags in one truckload would require seven truckloads of paper bags.
  
  
• In the manufacturing process, plastic bags generate 80 percent less waste than paper bags, and only consume about 18 percent as much energy.
  
  
• Plastic bags use less than 3 percent of the fresh water necessary to make paper bags.
  
  
• It takes about 91 percent less energy to recycle a plastic bag as it does a paper bag.
  
  

Reusable Bags and EcoTote™

Let Spectrum develop packaging for you that will last a lifetime.

OxoBiodegradable™  Plastics

Learn about biodegradability and how Spectrum offers recyclable products that are environmentally friendly and environmentally responsible.

BioStar™ Can Liners

Spectrum's line of degradable can liners are a great addition to our environmentally friendly offerings.

Comvac™

Less space; less packaging materials; less freight; less gasoline to get it to you.  Let Spectrum Bags show you how Comvac™ packaging can make your products more environmentally friendly.

Recycling

To learn more about recycling plastic, and what Spectrum is doing, click on this link.

Myths About Grocery Bags

Top 10 list that will set the record straight.

Articles

Articles and information on plastic bags.

Laws & Regulations

List of city, state, federal, and global laws, regulations, bans, and taxes.

California laws regarding plastic bags

Recycling Law

California’s recycling law requires that certain retailers provide for and encourage recycling of plastic bags. Although on its face the law is targeted at large drug stores and supermarkets, the applicable definitions are broad and somewhat ambiguous. The definition of “supermarket” may encompass retailers beyond traditional grocery stores, if they operate stores that are more than 10,000 square feet or that gross more than $2 million per year.

• Print the words "Please Return to a Participating Store for Recycling" on all plastic carry-out bags provided by the store
• Establish a clearly marked bin for collecting plastic bags, placed in a visible and easily accessible location
• Recycle the plastic bags they collect and maintain records regarding the volume of bags recycled
• Offer reusable bags for purchase, prominently located near the front of the store

Plastic Bag Bans

Although retailers complying with the recycling law may be exempt from local recycling rules or plastic bag fees, they may still be subject to bans on plastic bags enacted by several coastal cities in California. For instance, Fairfax, Malibu, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Solana Beach all have ordinances prohibiting or restricting distribution of plastic bags. The cities of Encinitas, Los Angeles, and San Jose have passed similar laws that will go into effect over the next two years.

Practical Advice

The regulation of plastic bag use in California is a rapidly changing area, with ongoing developments likely on the state and local levels. Retailers operating in California should consider whether California’s recycling law applies to them and review their compliance with the law. Retailers who believe that the recycling law may not affect them may consider voluntary compliance in order to obtain the benefits of exemption from local fees and recycling requirements. Retailers should also be aware of bans on the distribution of plastic bags, applicable in a growing number of cities, particularly as additional restrictions take effect over the next few years.