From the NYTimes Green Inc. blog:
a New
York Times spokeswoman said:
Our
current plastic bags are produced using a high percentage of recycled material
and the bags can be recycled.
By early
2009, The Times should be fully converted to utilizing a new bio-degradable
polybag for newspaper deliveries around the country. The bag is produced by GP
Plastics and they call it their PolyGreen bag. The bag
begins to degrade in the open environment within a few months and within two to
three years when in a landfill.
With this
new technology an additive is mixed with the plastic that causes the finished
product to degrade over time, as it is exposed to oxygen in the open
environment or in a landfill. In addition to being
“oxo-biodegradable” the bag can be recycled along with any other
plastic bags. The Times will be the first national newspaper to commit to using
this environmentally friendly bag. While this new bag is more expensive, we
believe it is an important change to make.
Kendall Christiansen