How to Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags

Plastic grocery bags Type 2 (high-density polyethylene film - HDPE) and Type 4 (low density or linear-low density polyethylene film - LDPE/LLDPE) can be recycled at your local supermarket and other locations. Once the bags are recycled, they are made into lumber, trashcan liners or plastic bags.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic Bags
• Plastic bags

1. Find out if your local curbside recycling program will accept plastic grocery bags.

2. Drop off plastic grocery bags Type 2 and Type 4 at your local grocery store, if you cannot recycle them through your curbside program. Most grocery stores will accept plastic bags and have recycling bins inside the store.

3. Exclude any plastic bags that are dark in color or bags that have handles or drawstrings. Plastic food packaging and plastic food wrap (Saran wrap) are also non-recyclable.

4. Clean and dry bags thoroughly before recycling, making sure they are empty of any debris. This is important, since foreign objects will contaminate the plastic as it is being recycled.

5. Check with your county department of public works to find out about local curbside recycling programs and community drop-off centers, or look under "Recycling" in the Yellow Pages.

Tips & Warnings

• The type of plastic the bag is made from should be printed somewhere on the bag.
• Often plastic bags that are used for bread and other products are made from Type 2 and Type 4 plastic, but are not marked. They can usually be recycled with plastic grocery store bags unless they have the numeral 7 on them, which means they are definitely not recyclable.

[warutledge]

on 4/27/2009 FYI, every area has it's own recycling programs. Stanford, CA, for instance, takes shrink wrap, etc. Grocery bags all have handles, and more often than not they type of plastic is NOT printed on the bag.Further, plastic recycling is often really just downcycling. A reusable bag is far and away better. An irishman once asked me if I went shopping without my wallet. I replied, No, of course not. To which he asked, Then why did you go without a bag?Nature can fix itself, yes, over thousands years, if not a millennium. This is a) not on a human timescale; b) not just to other people/places/animals.

[aggrox]

on 3/3/2009 You don't have to listen to people who tell you to use cloth bags. It will never be common practice. Nature will always find a way to fix itself. Go ahead and use plastic bags, its easier.

[gaiko]

on 2/29/2008 How about for those people who don't live in developing countries? I'm working in Afghanistan and ironically (considering the poverty) they are even more (plastic) bag happy than in developed countries and they certainly don't have the option of recycling here. How about some non-take-it-to-a-recycling-center suggestions? The only thing i know of at the moment is packing material for shipping and plastic mulch. -Gaiko

[stayvocal]

on 2/7/2008 Instead of using disposable shopping bags in the first place, you should use reusable shopping bags. They're better for the environment and for future generations. If you don't have one already, please visit stayvocal.com

[LucyGreen]

on 7/17/2007 Find cloth bags on sale at all grocery stores, priced at approximately .99 per bag.
Give up plastic bags. Find ways to stop using, accepting them and depending on them for any purpose.
All Americans and manufacturers will need to take personal responsibility for the pollution caused in plastic bag use. Try tough love and bring back a pristine earth. Teach your children, family and friends not to pollute. Be a green spokesperson.
Paper bags are from cut down trees. Why would you want to take them home?
Did you forget the cloth bags? Do you get to the cashier and realize the cloth bag is in the car?
Well! Here's an opportunity to get some exercise. Ask the clerk to mind your cart while you take a quick walk for the bags.
Your being a good citizen when you care just a little bit. In time using cloth bags will be common practice. Let's get started now.