Recycled Content
The unpredictability of recycled content is the core issue. Using PCR regrind in a bag with plastics of unknown origins or contaminated plastics can cause problems. In a nutshell: know your vendor and dial in the amount of recycled content that is politically correct, but which also gives you the performance that you require. Resourceful often adds up to 10% post consumer recovered plastic, but will add up to 20% on request.

Bottom Seal
The best all around bottom seal is a flat bottom bag. This eliminates the weak spots of a gusseted bottom and the volume problem of star sealed bags.

Printing
We recommend a large plate (150-250 square inch) and contrasting color of water-based ink.

Color
Color is very important in P-A-Y-T programs. This is particularly true when bags are set out on the street. Collectors need to be able to see them year round. Colors like mint green, yellow, purple and blue are popular for these reasons. Red is usually avoided because it is associated with medical waste. Different shades of green can work, although some greens can be almost as hard to see as black bags.

Opacity
Also a trash bag needs to be opaque to be popular with the residents. However, opacity is expensive in the bright colors. Similarly, recycling bags need to be translucent so collection can see the recyclables.

Packaging
Bags can be packaged in rolls or individual flat-packs, with our without sleeves or inserts. If you choose flat or cut bags, it is important that bags are not gang-folded together. Residents need to be able to remove bags one at a time from the packaging.

It is much more practical to sell bags in packages of 5 or 10. Ten pack bags are the most economical and the best value, however if the concern is which packaging is most affordable, a 5-pack is recommended. Towns that supply residents with bags annually typically give one large roll of 52 bags (one per week) or one case of 100 bags.

Typically, bags are sold at convenient places and town offices. To identify your bags at retail outlets, use printed outer-sleeves or inserts. Inserts are quick & economical. They can be coded with UPC bars to help with auditting.

Accurate Counts
The key to packaging is an accurate count. Undercounts are the source of fury on the part of resellers and residents. Overcounts cost the authority a lot of revenue. If your vendor cannot count, you need another vendor. We weigh every package and every case to insure that the counts are accurate. We guarantee accurate counts. Resourceful offers customers the option of individually folding the bags. For towns that sell them one at time, it is the optimum solution.

Thickness
Political pressure from bad bag experiences has some municipalities specifying 2 and even 3 mil bags. The new resins make the old 2-mil bag specs obsolete. We can work with you to transition a community to stronger but thinner, (and therefore less expensive) bags. For example, we have provided bags to one of our customers since 1993. They use approximately 1.5 million bags per year in two sizes, 24” x 32” and 33” x 39”. Both are in five packs, both are 1.25 mil, extra strength resin. In that time, no resident has ever called the City and reported a bag failure.

Bag companies routinely cheat on the gauge of the bags and call it “industry standard”. A 2-mil bag is rarely even 1.8 mil. You have a duty to hold companies accountable. We can show you how to weigh a bag, which is the absolute way to determine mileage.