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Is it related to the anti-static properties (and therefore "all" pink bags are static-dissipative)?

Or is it simply a distinguishing colour added during manufacture which may also be applied to normal polythene?

Martin Thompson
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    This seems like a question for a chemical engineer, not an electrical one. Would you agree? – Kortuk Mar 20 '12 at 17:27
  • @Kortuk given that I don't know why, depending on that it may be also a matter of regulation, and then it may be suitable... – clabacchio Mar 20 '12 at 17:43
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    Pink plastic bags for electronics aren't static dissipative at all. They just don't GENERATE static. You want the metallic silver ones to actually protect your boards when transporting them around. – akohlsmith Mar 20 '12 at 18:29
  • @AndrewKohlsmith isn't that the definition of static dissipative? As opposed to anti-static, the silvery bags that actually protect against ESD. – exscape Mar 20 '12 at 18:51
  • @exscape That is the definition, but people often ignore the words and just assume that anti-static and static dissipative are the same things. I've talked about this to lots of "seasoned" engineers and many of them were surprised to learn that the pink-poly bags are almost worthless to protect against static. –  Mar 20 '12 at 19:21
  • Definition mismatch on my part. I don't equate dissipating static with not generating it in the first place. :-/ – akohlsmith Mar 20 '12 at 19:46
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    Yes, I probably should've written static dissipative, rather than just putting quotes around "anti-static" - what's the consensus... should I modify the question accordingly – Martin Thompson Mar 20 '12 at 20:53

1 Answers1

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These bags are pink for identification purposes. These bags prevent static build up, but do not protect their contents much from external sources of static. There are also silver bags that protect from those external sources and blue bags that are almost the same as the pink ones but work at a greater humidity range.

Martin Thompson
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ben
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  • What of the clear ones with a black grid patten? Are they similar to pink/blue or to silver/grey type? – KalleMP Nov 24 '15 at 22:58
  • @KalleMP late here, but the black grid pattern is usually carbon based conductors. I think they are between the two types, but tending towards protection like the silver bags. – user2943160 Jul 07 '16 at 14:03