Reusable bags in EROSKI stores

1996/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

Lately, the environment is a subject we hear often. Climate change, the ozone hole or pollution of our rivers and seas are issues that concern us all. But how can the consumer act to solve these problems on a large scale? The truth is that each of us can do little to solve these macroproblems. However, there are other environmental problems closer to everyday life in which we can take measures to, at least to some extent, contribute to the energy saving of our homes, rationalize the use of water, participate in selective waste collection campaigns, etc.

One of the environmental problems that we have today is the high number of supermarket bags that we consume and that we can contribute to it. Who hasn't taken more bags than needed in the supermarket for garbage or for another function? To make an idea, only the EROSKI cooperative distributes 150 million plastic bags to its customers. The production of these bags requires a high consumption of oil and energy. In addition, these bags, once used, are thrown into our rivers, seas or mountains, which supposes, in addition to their visual influence, a waste of raw materials and energy. We cannot forget that if you need a second to make a plastic bag, nature makes hundreds of years pass.

Aware of this, the EROSKI cooperative wanted to address the problem. In 1991, it replaced the plastic bag with a lower environmental impact due to the presence of photodegradable materials, and last May it made available to consumers a reusable bag in all its stores. The reusable bag is a bag made of plastic material, polyethylene, superior to the “normal” bag and reusable for purchase.

The consumption of “normal” bags decreases considerably. A reusable bag replaces about 12 “normal” bags. For obtaining this bag, the consumer 10 sts. will pay the first bag and then, when there is a break or deterioration of the bag for use, you will be given the new bag for free. Deteriorated bags are recycled to produce new products, saving non-renewable raw materials such as oil and energy.

To date, in the first month of use of the reusable bag, more than 120,000 have been distributed, which means a saving of 4.5 tons of oil and 2.000 kW of energy and a saving of 1.449.336 bags.

With this gesture as a consumer we can contribute a lot to the environment reducing pollution and saving increasingly scarce resources.