What are the advantages of paper bags in terms of environmental protection?

1. Renewability and recyclability
The main raw material of paper bags is wood fiber, which can be recycled through sustainable forestry management, and the use of recycled pulp further reduces the dependence on native wood. Compared with plastic bags that rely on non-renewable petroleum resources, paper bags have more advantages in resource sustainability. In addition, the recycling rate of paper bags is significantly higher than that of plastics, and the recycling process is mature, and they can be remade into cardboard, packaging materials, etc.

2. Good degradation performance
The degradation cycle of paper bags in the natural environment is usually 2-6 months. After degradation, they are decomposed into harmless cellulose, and will not remain for a long time like plastic bags to form microplastic pollution. Even if paper bags are not recycled, the toxicity of their degradation process on soil and water bodies is much lower than that of plastics. Chemicals produced by the decomposition of plastic bags may seep into groundwater, while the degradation products of paper bags are more easily absorbed by natural ecosystems.

3. Carbon footprint and circular economy
The carbon emissions in the production stage of paper bags are higher than those of plastic bags (due to higher energy and water consumption), but their recycling can reduce the overall carbon footprint. Recycling 1 ton of waste paper can reduce 1.2 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, while the recycling of plastic bags has limited actual emission reduction effects due to the difficulty and high cost of sorting. In addition, paper bags, as biomass materials, can achieve carbon neutrality when incinerated, while the incineration of plastics will release toxic substances such as dioxins.