Paper Bags
Plastic Bags
Pro
Highly biodegradable within a month or less under the right conditions
Reusable around the house, garage and for more shopping trips; strong
Easily recycled
A large percentage of recycled material is used in manufacturing
Made from primarily virgin material
Manufacturing process releases fewer emissions
Weigh less, so require less fuel to transport and take up less space in landfill
Reusable around the house, garage, and for more shopping trips; can be used for wet trash and other items
Pro/Con
Made from wood, but that’s a renewable resource
Weigh more, but can carry more groceries, so you use fewer
Somewhat biodegradable, over a period of hundreds of years
Con
Manufacturing process releases sulfur dioxide into the air
Made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource
Can be difficult to find recycling outlets
