How to Recycle Plastic Bags, Film and Wrap the Right Way [Week 8]
Amanda Drews, 5 minute read
Find out:
- Where to bring your plastic bag/film/wrap recycling
- What can go into plastic recycling drop-off bins
- What should not be put into plastic recycling drop-off bins
- Why plastic bags/film/wrap can’t just go into your curbside recycling bin
- What dangers do plastic bags pose to the environment
Plastic bags are one of the most common items found in curbside recycling that don’t belong there.
Many of them have that little #4 inside the resin identification code triangles so they look like they are supposed to be thrown into your curbside recycling bin. That number is really just telling you that it is made out of LDPE (low density polyethylene). It’s a type of plastic that does NOT go in your curbside recycling according to the Rules of Recycling (since it is not a #1, 2, or 5 plastic.) Unless your hauler says specifically you can recycle them, leave them out of your curbside bin.
Luckily, there’s a special spot to bring those plastic bags, along with other plastic films and wraps!
Ever walk into a Target, Cub Foods, Lowes, Wal-Mart, or Kohls and see the recycling stations? Those are some of the store drop-off sites where our plastics are supposed to go!
There are sites located all over the country. Find a drop off location near you by searching your zip code at Plasticfilmrecycling.org. Keep them organized in a special place in your house where it’s easy for you to see so you remember to bring them to the store. If you have kids, please remember to put them in a place where they can’t reach them since they are a choking hazard!
What can go into plastics recycling drop-off bins?
According to plasticfilmrecycling.org‘s list of the items recyclable through their program each item must be:
- Clean and dry
- Free of labels
… if you can poke your finger through it and can stretch it in two different directions, it likely belongs in special plastics recycling.
Examples of items are:
- Zip-top food baggies (you can leave the zippers on now)
- Plastic shipping envelopes (with the sticker labels removed), bubble wrap and deflated air pillows
- Cereal box liners
- Fast food kid’s meals toy wrappers
- Plastic wrap around diapers, cases of bottled water, toilet paper
- Menstrual pad wrappers (wish I would have known that before!)
- Plastic retail bags from stores and restaurants, bread, newspaper and dry cleaning bags (or remember you could reuse these for things like dog poop bags on walks or carrying wet swimsuits back from the beach)
Do NOT include these items in plastics recycling:
- Anything used for frozen food (I had been wish-cycling these for a while)
- Candy wrappers, chips and pre-washed salad bags (these make a loud crinkling sound)
- Six-pack rings for beverages
- Anything made out of compostable or biodegradable material
Overall, if you can poke your finger through it and can stretch it in two different directions, it likely belongs in special plastics recycling.
Why don’t plastic bags just go in curbside recycling?
Plastic bags, film and wrap can get tangled in the sorting machinery at the materials recovery facilities. This can shut down operations for hours or break expensive machinery which could ultimately cost you more for services. Sanitation workers are put at risk of injury when they need to get up onto the machinery to untangle the plastics that have been wrapped up.
What dangers do plastic bags/ film/ wrap pose to the environment?
The production of plastic bags involves using petroleum-derived polymers. If these plastics are left floating about in the environment unmanaged, they photodegrade into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. This not only has the potential to release chemicals into our waterways and soil but poses a huge threat to wildlife through ingestion. Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for their normal diet of jellyfish. Whales have been found with up to 88 lbs of plastic debris inside their bodies.
The meat you consume will have been eating those microplastic particles as well. Although the full consequences of microplastics on human health is less obvious, we do know they have made their way into our bodies through the foods we eat and the water we drink. Furthermore, the chemicals used to create different types of plastics have the potential to lead to effects on our health if they accumulate in our bodies.
When you are keeping track of the number of bags you use day to day, it starts to make sense why this is quickly becoming a problem.
Practice bringing your own bags and turning the plastic bags down at the store. Pretty soon it will become a habit. I usually just say, “I don’t need a bag, thank you.” Or “I brought my own bag.” You can carry those three items to your car, right? If you work somewhere giving out bags, ask your customers if they need one instead of just assuming they do. Many people are too shy to turn one down once you start bagging. Traveling in Australia was eye opening because many stores, even the Target there, didn’t offer plastic bags. It seemed like everyone was doing alright without them! You probably don’t end up buying as much crap you don’t need as well!
1). Find the nearest special plastics drop-off locations on plasticfilmrecyling.org
2). Establish a place in your home for your plastic bags. Create space by your door and in your car for reusable bags for when you shop.
3). Determine who is responsible in the household for bringing in the bags when it gets full. This will likely be easiest if the person who frequents those stores most often does it.
4). Go through the types of special recyclable plastics with your family or share with friends. Also discuss how you can limit using plastic bags in your home in the first place.
5). Practice turning down bags at stores before you get to the register. Cashiers, practice asking customers if they need a bag.
6). Challenge another family or your neighborhood to see how little plastic waste you can use from month to month! Loser has to bake the winner cookies?? Or buy a bottle of wine to share together?! Even better.
7). If you need help remembering what goes in your special plastics recycling and where your drop-off locations are, print it out and slap it right next to the space you made in your home for bags.
8). Support Latitude Jewelry Co., run by a marine life educator (my sis!) in Hawaii that does beach clean ups and turns microplastics into jewelry.
9). Continue your 52 week challenge to a greener demeanor in WEEK 9 by learning about How to Reduce Your Junk Mail and Recycle the Rest of Your Mail.
