PAPER VS. PLASTIC BAGS

The proponents of plastic bags are not likely to win the battle against all the bag legislation. New York State has banned plastic bags, and what a ripple effect has ensued. Demand for paper has increased, and supplying those paper bags has become a challenge, particularly for some domestic producers.

It can be argued, of course, that plastic is really not that nasty, and that it is less expensive overall, and it is also less expensive than paper to transport, as it generally takes 7 times the number of trucks or boats or both to transport the same amount of paper bags as plastic bags.

But as they say here in New Jersey -- fuhgeddaboudit

There is no time to argue. Paper bags need to be ordered and the market has been glutted. Fleet Packaging has expanded global sourcing to Portugal, South Korea and Vietnam in addition to established sources in China for all paper bag needs.

Most of the new laws required 40% post-consumer waste in paper bags, which is now becoming standard fare at most mills. Determine your paper needs and act as quickly as possible before the lead times get out of hand.

Gary Shippy, President