So here is what I found out: After the bags are collected and brought to Rotterdam they are turned into bales - which can weigh as much as 1000 lbs! (Anyone want to guess how many bags this would entail?) These bales are then sent up to a plant in either Argyle or Fort Edward. Here the bales are ground up and the bits are washed. Theses bits are then melted and turned back into a sheet of film plastic. These big rolls of film plastic are then shipped off shore to plants in places like China, India, and Pakistan where the film plastic is manufactured back into bags. I spoke to a very helpful and friendly man at one of the NY plants who explained to me that all of the bags have already been recycled before. The water used for washing the ground up bits is filtered and used over. And if I dress appropriately, he offered me a tour of the plant. An interesting process and prospect!
Do you have to dress in plastic bags? Remember the clothing they used to make made of paper? Maybe that would be appropriate.
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