Chapter 07 · Materials & footprintsCircular Economy & Materials
Bulk bag (FIBC)
Definition
A flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC): an industrial bag woven from polypropylene strands, designed to carry typically 500–2,000 kg of dry, flowable products such as grains, chemicals and minerals. Standard ISO 21898 governs design and testing; safety-factor ratings distinguish single-trip bags (5:1) from multi-trip bags designed for reuse (6:1).
References
Supports definition and framing.
Overview
What it means
FIBCs matter to circular-economy practice in three ways. Reuse: bags that pass inspection can be reused — safely only when designed and rated for multiple trips. Reconditioning: specialist schemes collect, clean, recondition and requalify bags for the same product stream in closed loops.
Recycling: woven polypropylene (resin code 5) is recyclable through commercial programmes, though bags contaminated by hazardous contents are not recyclable. Design features — liners, coatings, mixed materials — determine which end-of-life route is feasible.
How it is used
Agricultural commodity, chemical and construction supply chains move goods in FIBCs; procurement policies increasingly specify reusable (6:1) bags, take-back schemes or recycled-content polypropylene. Packaging-waste regulation (such as extended producer responsibility regimes) brings FIBCs into producer reporting.
Why it matters
FIBCs are invisible but ubiquitous packaging infrastructure; their reuse systems are a working example of business-to-business circularity operating at scale today.