How Can I Recycle Plastic Bags?

We’ve all seen them. Floating down the side of the road. Stuck in trees and bushes. Contaminating oceans and lakes. They are everywhere. And they don’t belong.

Plastic bags! According to biologicaldiversity.org, Americans use 100 billion plastic bags each year. While bags are only used for about 12 minutes, it takes over 500 years for them to degrade in a landfill. And when they do, they become microplastics that continue to pollute our environment.

In states like California, stores are banned from using plastic bags. Other states have added a plastic bag tax or fees for using them. Until there is a nationwide ban on these bags, and other film plastics, they will continue to be a problem. So, what can we do about it?

Plastic Bags and Wrap – Separate Recycling

Plastic bags, and other film (flexible) plastics like newspaper bags, bread bags, Ziploc bags and plastic wraps are not part of nationwide curbside recycling programs and don’t belong in your bin at home. Bags often get tangled in sorting equipment and can shut down entire systems until workers can cut the bags from the machines.

New Life for Film Plastic

Instead, companies like Trex.com have partnered with many local stores like Jewel, Kohls, Meijer, Mariano’s and Target to accept this material. Typically, near the front of these stores, are receptacles where you can bring the following materials for recycling:

Plastic grocery bags
Newspaper bags
Dry cleaning bags
Bread & produce bags
Zip lock bags (remove hard components)
Plastic cereal liners
Case wrap (water bottles, paper towels)

All bags and wrap must be clean and dry before being placed in these bins. Trex then takes this material and uses it to make an environmentally – friendly composite lumber. Other film plastic recyclers can also turn your bags into, you guessed it, more bags. While not the best option, bags made from recyclable material eliminate the need to rely on natural resources like fossil fuels.

In addition to bringing your bags back to the store, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of plastic bags in circulation:

Bring your own reusable bags to the store
Request paper bags
Buy in bulk. Most bulk stores offer the use of carboard boxes to transport your items.

With proper recycling, we can reduce our use of fossil fuels used to make film plastics and help save the thousands of animals harmed when plastic bags end up in ocean. Remember, just because something doesn’t belong in your recycling bin at home, doesn’t mean there aren’t environmentally friendly alternatives. Check out our simple guide for recycling other materials and become a recycling know-it-all.

Find a Plastic Bag Drop Off Store