Purina's New Packaging?

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I kind of do the same with the plastic bags my feed comes in (a different brand). Whenever we clean out the coop or pens, all the poo and old pine shavings go into the empty feed sack. There was a time, we would then take it to a friend for her compost pile.
 
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Make a reusable shopping bag. Very easy.
 
Here is the response from Purina. It's quite the spin on the environmental issue. They don't take into account that most plastics are sent abroad (in large part to China) for recycling.

Many of the products manufactured by Purina Mills, LLC under the Purina
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brand will be switching from a multiwall paper bag package to a woven polypropylene package. The timing of this change will vary depending on the product and the manufacture location.
Why are we making this change?
We did not come to this decision lightly or quickly. This type of packaging has been available in the marketplace for some time and we’ve been very careful to consider all aspects of this change. Before we took this critical step we wanted to ensure that is was the best decision for our products, our retailers, the animal owners and the animals themselves.
The primary driver for this decision is that woven poly creates a much more durable package than multiwall paper. This significantly reduces the amount of product damage and waste that is created at the manufacturing location, retailer and end customer.
There are many other factors that were considered, researched and tested as we decided to make this change. Product freshness, product stability, material costs, manufacturing costs, retailer acceptance and customer acceptance were some of the attributes considered and measured. The combined result of this extensive investigation indicated that this change was a good decision for our retailers, the animal owners and the animals themselves.
Are woven poly bags recyclable?
Yes. They are made for >95% polypropylene and can be recycled. The recycle symbol used for this polypropylene is a No. 5 in a triangle.
Why is there no recycle symbol on the bag?
There are legal and regulatory issues related to the use of the recycle symbols that vary from state to state. At the time these packaging materials were printed, we were not confident that we had resolved all issues in all states. We may add the #5 recycle symbol on future print runs when we are confident we are in 100% compliance.
Where can woven poly bags be recycled?
First, please check with your local waste management company or trash pick up service. Many local recycling programs are now taking this type of material. If that is not an option, we recommend that you go to www.earth911.com. They offer a recycling center search engine. By entering the material information (No. 5 Plastic (Polypropylene)) and your zip code you can see a list of recycling centers in your area that will take this material. The default search radius is only 25 miles and increasing this radius may give you more options.
Will Purina Mills offer recycling services for this new packaging?
Not at this time. Our research indicates that there is a fast growing industry developing for collection, recycle and re-use of polypropylene. We are supporting others in their efforts to grow this industry and effectively provide this service for all consumers wanting to recycle this material.
Will my Purina Dealers offer recycling options for these bags?
Our retailers are independent businesses and will need to make that decision on their own. Purina Mills is encouraging all our retailers to differentiate themselves by offering services that their customers may value. Offering a recycling collection point for materials their customers are looking to dispose of is one way we are recommending that they consider doing this.
Isn’t changing from a paper package to a plastic package bad for the environment?
There is much debate today regarding the sustainability of using paper packaging versus plastic packaging. While paper is generated from a renewable resource, it consumes a significantly higher amount of energy to manufacture, recycle and transport when compared to plastic. Plastics are lighter and more durable so that less material is needed to provide the same package strength and less energy is used to transport the lighter materials to the manufacturing locations. The higher durability also reduces the amount of product that is damaged and then is either wasted or has to be remanufactured.
When the total environmental impact is considered, our investigation indicates that there is actually an advantage to the environment if plastic packaging is used and these materials are recycled effectively.
Doesn’t your company care about the environment?
Purina Mills is very committed to the environment and we have a long history of stewardship of all our natural resources. We have an active sustainability team that is continually looking for ways that we can reduce our impact on the environment.
Does Purina Mills use recycled materials in their packaging?
No. To offer the highest quality food products to our customers, we only use virgin packaging materials if there is any product contact.
What can I do to help?
Please make sure that all your packaging materials are collected responsibly and recycled appropriately. If you are recycling your animal food packaging today, we would encourage you to continue. If you are not recycling your animal food packaging today, we would encourage you to start doing that regardless of the material used.
If you have questions or concerns please utilize the contact us section of our web site.
 
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I wish that I had enough so that I could sew them together for a tarp.
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They will not make a good tarp once the ink that colors the bag fades ,the bag starts to break and unravel and the bags fall apart which is not good for the birds at all cause some of them try and sometimes do eat the plastic.

I left one outside just to see how long it would take and in 2 weeks the colored ink was cracking.

They would be good for a moisture barrier , that what i am saving mine for when we enclose our old horse barn
 
Gail Damerow has talked about the new bags at some length in the magazine Backyard Poultry. When the weather is cold and we are running our wood-burning stove, we burn ours. Other than that, we throw them away. But I do like the tote bag idea. I think I saw a few of those on Etsy as well.
 

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