How to Recycle Plastic Bags

How to Recycle Plastic Bags

How to Recycle Plastic Bags

Plastic bags, wraps and films are typically made from high-density polyethylene (type-2, HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (type-4, LDPE) plastic. A general rule of thumb when recycling plastic bags is to make sure the plastic bags are empty and clean. Do not include used plastic food wrap, bags with food residue, or material that has been painted or glued. Doing so will contaminate the recycled material making the entire load unusable. Unusable plastics are usually thrown away and land filled (which ruins the entire point of recycling in the first place).

Here are examples of plastic bags you can recycle:

Clean plastic bags labeled #2 (HDPE) or #4 (LDPE)

Sealable food storage bags (with hard parts removed)

Bags from boxes of cereal and crackers (*remove crumbs inside*)

Dry cleaning bags (*remove hanger and any paper advertising*)

Grocery bags

Retail bags (*remove hard plastic or string handles before recycling*)

Plastic newspaper bags

Bread bags (*clean out the bread crumbs first*)

Plastic wraps from products such as paper towels, bathroom paper, napkins, diapers, and cases of soft drinks

While the above mentioned items are 100% recyclable, many recycling centers are not equipped for processing them, especially single stream programs.

Single stream curbside recycling programs collect recyclables all at once. That is, glass, metal, and plastic are collected together and are separated at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF). Once the recyclables arrive, they are immediately placed on conveyor belts. As plastic bags tend to clog conveyor belts slowing down processing, the first step is usually to manually remove the plastic bags.

For the environmentally friendly facilities, they will package and transport the plastic bags to proper recycling plants for processing. This is not always the case however; some recycling facilities will just throw them in the trash (which eventually ends up in landfills).

Therefore, before sending your plastic bags and wraps to the recyclers, do a little research. Call ahead to make sure your recycling facility takes plastic bags. Many grocers and retailers offer collection programs that allow shoppers to return their used plastic bags and product wraps to be recycled. For the most part, you will find plastic bag recycling bins located at the front entrance or near checkout areas.

For the technologically advance people, I wrote a review on an iPhone / Andriod app. called My Review List by 1800recycle. This application will locate your position via GPS and find the nearest recycling center for your specific recycle needs.

There are also websites that can point you in the right direction. I suggest doing a quick search on Google. Your search term should include your location and the type of plastic you want to recycle.

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