Energy Used for Plastic Bags

Here are some of the energy-using steps involved in making plastic bags from oil and transporting them to the grocery store:

• Oil needs to be pumped from the ground with large fuel-burning machinery.
• The oil is then delivered by truck or pipeline to a refining facility. It takes energy to build the pipeline and to drive the truck.
• The refining facility, which usually runs on electricity, makes the oil into pellets.
• A component of oil called polyethylene is used to make plastic bags. A machine heats the polyethylene to a very high temperature—this takes heat energy. 
• Other energy-using machines cut the bags, cut holes for handles, and print things on the bags.
• Then trucks use energy to deliver the bags to warehouses and stores.
• If you throw plastic bags away, it takes energy to get them to the dump or landfill.

 

Find out how you can save some of this energy. Go to Save That Bag!

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