Jun. 23, 2025
Since you're a recycling pro, you probably already know that your local program doesn't accept plastic bags in curbside collection. And you may already know that plastic bag recycling is a thing you can do at most local grocery stores.
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But here's where it gets confusing. Does that mean just the bags from that store? Or can you recycle more? Most drop-off bag collections accept polyethylene film. This includes high-density polyethylene (HDPE or #2 plastic) and low-density polyethylene (#4 plastic or LDPE). It's great if your bags have markings on them, but since most do not, it's good to know some general guidelines.
Some plastics that can go into the store drop-off bins are
ALL materials should be clean and dry. If your bags are not completely clean of food residue, they will contaminate the entire batch. This includes removing all stickers, labels, and staples if any exist. Don't forget to remove receipts as well!
Other plastics need to go into the trash. These include:
Crinkly plastic bags such as pre-washed salad bags, chip bags, and cereal box liners that tear are made of different plastics that are less likely to be recyclable at all. So if it crinkles, do not add it to retail recycling drop-offs.
Although a small handful of communities accept plastic in curbside bins, the vast majority do not. That's because most facilities don't have the personnel and equipment they would need to process them.
Rigid plastics, like gallon milk containers, are easily processed by machine. They are carried by conveyor belts and machine sorted. But throwing plastic bags into the mix wreaks havoc on these machines. The bags bend easily and get snagged in belts. They jam machinery and need to be cleared by hand.
The extra labor required to handle these problems and the higher amount of equipment downtime makes your recycling program less profitable. That means that your government has less to spend on other programs.
The few locations that do accept plastic bags in their curbside collection likely do not accept these bags and plastic overwrap loose in the bin. Check to see what the specific requirements for collection might be if your municipality accepts these bags. The common requirement is that residents put all bags into one bag and tie it at the top so recycling workers can easily pick the bag out before it goes to the sorting machine and gets tangled in the gears.
Other locations may accept bags at their facility as a drop-off item only. This likely also has the requirement of stuffing all your bags and overwrap into one bag. Just like retail drop-off locations, all thin plastic film should be clean and dry and free of stickers, staples, and receipts.
Another recycling rule to keep in mind is to not bag your recycling. Curbside collection should be loose in the bin. Some municipalities allow overflow to be bagged in large transparent recycling bags, but you should never be adding small plastic shopping bags filled with recyclables into your bin.
Bagging items in these small bags ends up making it difficult for facilities to sort the items, and it is likely that these bags will be sent to landfill along with all the other viable recyclables inside. So make sure to avoid bagging your recyclables.
You can recycle plastic bags and overwrap packaging, but don't put them in your home recycling bin! You'll need to drop them off at your local grocery store or possibly at the local recycling facility if available. Check the lists above for guidelines on what is accepted and check with your drop-off location if you have any questions.
Since you're a recycling pro, you probably already know that your local program doesn't accept plastic bags in curbside collection. And you may already know that plastic bag recycling is a thing you can do at most local grocery stores.
But here's where it gets confusing. Does that mean just the bags from that store? Or can you recycle more? Most drop-off bag collections accept polyethylene film. This includes high-density polyethylene (HDPE or #2 plastic) and low-density polyethylene (#4 plastic or LDPE). It's great if your bags have markings on them, but since most do not, it's good to know some general guidelines.
Some plastics that can go into the store drop-off bins are
ALL materials should be clean and dry. If your bags are not completely clean of food residue, they will contaminate the entire batch. This includes removing all stickers, labels, and staples if any exist. Don't forget to remove receipts as well!
Other plastics need to go into the trash. These include:
Crinkly plastic bags such as pre-washed salad bags, chip bags, and cereal box liners that tear are made of different plastics that are less likely to be recyclable at all. So if it crinkles, do not add it to retail recycling drop-offs.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit recyclable plastic bag.
Although a small handful of communities accept plastic in curbside bins, the vast majority do not. That's because most facilities don't have the personnel and equipment they would need to process them.
Rigid plastics, like gallon milk containers, are easily processed by machine. They are carried by conveyor belts and machine sorted. But throwing plastic bags into the mix wreaks havoc on these machines. The bags bend easily and get snagged in belts. They jam machinery and need to be cleared by hand.
The extra labor required to handle these problems and the higher amount of equipment downtime makes your recycling program less profitable. That means that your government has less to spend on other programs.
The few locations that do accept plastic bags in their curbside collection likely do not accept these bags and plastic overwrap loose in the bin. Check to see what the specific requirements for collection might be if your municipality accepts these bags. The common requirement is that residents put all bags into one bag and tie it at the top so recycling workers can easily pick the bag out before it goes to the sorting machine and gets tangled in the gears.
Other locations may accept bags at their facility as a drop-off item only. This likely also has the requirement of stuffing all your bags and overwrap into one bag. Just like retail drop-off locations, all thin plastic film should be clean and dry and free of stickers, staples, and receipts.
Another recycling rule to keep in mind is to not bag your recycling. Curbside collection should be loose in the bin. Some municipalities allow overflow to be bagged in large transparent recycling bags, but you should never be adding small plastic shopping bags filled with recyclables into your bin.
Bagging items in these small bags ends up making it difficult for facilities to sort the items, and it is likely that these bags will be sent to landfill along with all the other viable recyclables inside. So make sure to avoid bagging your recyclables.
You can recycle plastic bags and overwrap packaging, but don't put them in your home recycling bin! You'll need to drop them off at your local grocery store or possibly at the local recycling facility if available. Check the lists above for guidelines on what is accepted and check with your drop-off location if you have any questions.
Most plastic bags are made from high-density polyethylene (#2 plastic), but the thinner-material bags (such as produce bags) are made from low-density polyethylene (#4 plastic). The recycling collection system is widely available, mostly through collection bins at grocery stores.
Plastic bag recycling involves chipping the bags into pellets. While pellets can then be reprocessed into new bags, they will most likely be shipped to a company like Trex to be manufactured into plastic lumber.
Find Recycling Guides for Other Materials
While there are a handful of curbside programs on both coasts that accept plastic bags curbside to keep them out of the oceans, you’ll definitely want to check with your local program before recycling plastic bags at the curb.
If you ask a recycling official in the U.S. what is the #1 source of contamination in a city’s curbside program, the answer is almost always “plastic bags.” People see the recycling symbol on the product and assume it can be included with other plastics. Unfortunately, bags are usually a nightmare for the machinery at recycling centers.
All the national grocery retailers (such as Kroger, Safeway, Target and Walmart) and many smaller retailers offer bag recycling collections in their stores. The bins are usually located near the front entrance. Use the Recycling Search to find a location near you — just enter your ZIP code.
When it comes to production, paper bags require 2.2 times more energy and 4.7 times more water to manufacture than plastic bags. Paper bags are also nine times heavier, meaning they use more energy to transport.
When it comes to disposal, both products are very easy to recycle, but paper bags are accepted in far more curbside programs. Paper bags are also an insignificant source of marine debris, and they biodegrade, unlike plastic.
If you’re looking for the most eco-friendly alternative, bring your own reusable bags to the store. They take more resources to produce than paper or plastic, but they should each last five to 10 years.
Believe it or not, black plastic bags are harder to recycle and sometimes omitted from store collection bins. This is because the plastic is dyed and produces dark pellets, which limits the reprocessing options.
No, but there are a number of state and local community laws related to plastic bags. The most common are either bag bans or bag taxes, while some have mandated that retailers who distribute bags must accept them for recycling. Most of the states and communities that pass plastic bag laws are located along a major waterway, and taxes are often used to fund water cleanups.
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