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/* Benefits */
Polyethylene is inexpensive. It costs less than a penny to manufacture 140 grams, and .06 to .13 SEK for a plastic bag.[1]
== Potential impacts == '''petrochemical'''
===Processing===
The manufacturing process for conventional (petrochemical) polyethylene requires non-renewable resources and high water use. For the production of 1 kg of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), for example, 1.5 kg of fossils fuels are required, and over 3 kg of water.1
Fuel released by vehicles used to transport oil and waste causes pollution and CO2 emissions.[2]
Polyethylene’s most substantial environmental impact is at its end of use stage. Despite its durability (plastic bags can hold more than 100 times their weight), polyethylene was not designed for longevity, but for immediate throwaway.
Carbon dioxide emissions are released when high-density polyethylene is incinerated. This could happen in countries that do not have access to more sophisticated disposal, recycling and waste-to-energy methods.[3]
== Alternatives to virgin polyethylene ==
