Wal-Mart , over the years, has accrued a reputation of using excessive plastic bags—sometimes only placing on or two small items in each unnecessarily.
In more recent years, Wal-Mart has provided reusable bags, offered at a price to customers concerned with the environment.
But now, the Wal-Mart in Branson Hills has begun recycling plastic bags altogether, providing a giant box by the entry way where patrons can easily drop off their wads of plastic Wal-Mart bags for recycling.
To some, particularly those who live in north east coast states, recycling plastic is nothing new. In fact, states like Maine, and Massachusetts have been recycling various plastics for decades.
However, Missouri has never been one of those states that emphasized the recycling of plastics; perhaps because of the lack of nearby sea, the inland landfills able to neatly tuck away plastics without worry of runoff.
And because Wal-Mart is such a dominant corporation in Missouri and other southern, inland states, recycling plastic bags has the potential to make an environmental difference in the area—particularly since southern government institutions are so disinterested in sustainability.
Such recycling is beneficial to Wal-Mart’s bottom line as well—they now have access to free plastic to make bags, given the recycling process is less costly than buying raw plastic.
It’s about time that Wal-Mart has taken responsibility for its waste. Now, McDonalds, what are you going to do about your trash?
