Only 10% of Snack Bags Are "Recycled." But Where Do They Really Go?
The Harsh Reality Behind Snack Bag Recycling Snack bags often carry recycling symbols, giving the impression that they are easily recyclable. But in reality, only a tiny fraction ever make it through any form of reuse. And even that small percentage doesn’t follow the kind of recycling process most of us imagine. Instead, these bags are handled through alternative methods, and often in ways that raise serious environmental questions. So, what exactly happens to the so-called "10%" that are counted as recycled? Where do those snack bags actually end up? The Four Realities of Snack Bag "Recycling" The first and most common method is Waste-to-Energy (WTE). This involves burning snack bags in high-temperature incinerators to generate electricity or heat. While Japan and parts of Europe have advanced WTE facilities, this process is closer to energy recovery than true recycling. And the problems don’t stop there. Incineration releases harmful substances like dioxins, nitr...