Nov 27 2007
The Japanese convenience store am/pm Japan Co. is using plastic shopping bags in its Toyko area stores that are thinner but just as strong as the standard plastic market bag.
The innovative bags are made of advanced polyethylene developed by Itrix Corporation, which uses nanotechnology to disperse a strengthening agent, as well as a substance that absorbs oxygen, ensuring a greater percentage of the bag ends up as ash versus emitting CO2 when destroyed.
The store calculates their eco-friendly plastic bags will help lower carbon dioxide emissions by 3,000 tons annually. Am/pm Japan Co. plans to use these bags in all its 1,300 stores by next spring.