Plastic bags and wrap, often called flexible plastic or film, are recyclable, but not in most curbside recycling programs. This stretchy plastic is primarily made of #2 high density polyethylene (HDPE) and #4 low density polyethylene (LDPE). Plastic grocery bags, trash bags, bread and ice bags, cling wrap, and bubble wrap all fall under this category. The material's stretchiness and feeling on the hands is often a key indicator of the plastic type. Crinkly and crunchy plastics like chip bags and candy wrappers are often multilayered and may contain foils and laminations that are not accepted in most recycling programs, including drop-off programs.

Stretchy plastic is sorted, melted down, and pelletized to be used in manufacturing new bags, packaging, or items like composite decking. The primary channels for recycling grocery bags are through retail drop-off or community-based programs because they can tangle in sorting machinery. Bags are considered to be one of the top contaminants in curbside recycling carts or bins.

Education Pitfalls and Best Practices: 

• Plastic bags are not accepted with most traditional curbside recyclables, but they are both reusable and recyclable.
• Grocery stores in most areas have collection bins at the front of or inside the store to accept clean, empty plastic bags. Most will accept ore than just grocery bags. They will also accept plastic bread bags and dry-cleaning bags.
• Plastic bags and plastic film must be clean and empty, and they can be returned to the grocery store.
• When educators emphasize that plastic film can be recycled at retail and community-based drop-off programs, the only thing that is remembered is that the material is recyclable. This leads to residents putting plastic bags in the curbside cart or bin. Provide them with an application or specific information about how to recycle their plastic film, such as a link to plasticfilmrecycling.org or a recycling search application.
• Plastic film comes in so many forms: bubble wrap, packaging around paper towels and water bottles, resealable food storage bags, ice bags, etc. The list can get lengthy. Try to target the most common types of films. A website is a good spot for longer lists and accompanying pictures. For mailers, flyers, and short guides, stick to the basics.

Michigan Perspective: 

These lightweight films have limited recycling infrastructure and end-markets because collection programs and end markets are limited. While there aren't specific stewardship policies in place, many voluntary retail return programs at retail stores like Meijer, Walmart, and Kroger provide recycling bins at the front of their stores. These are convenient access points for consumers, and retailers can collect at a large enough quantity to make transportation and commodity pricing cost-effective.

• Plastic wrap or film - including common household items like plastic grocery bags, bread bags, cling wrap, and produce bags - cannot be recycled at the MRF because they can tangle and damage the equipment.
• Keep your recyclables loose. Do not bag recyclables. All recyclable materials contained within a plastic bag will likely be landfilled at the recycling center because of the risk involved in not knowing what is inside the bag.
• Does your plastic packaging stretch when pulled? If so then locate a film drop-off program. Does your plastic crunch, crinkle, or tear when pulled? If yes, then this item should go in the trash.

5 Rs for Plastic Bags: 

• Refuse - keep reusable canvas bags or expandable bags in your car for grocery trips.
• Reduce - maximize your space by filling bags up when you're at the store
• Reuse - use the bag for any of the activities listed above or create your own use
• Repurpose - plastic bags can be woven into plastic yarn, "plarn," to make waterproof mats for sitting or relaxing
• Recycle - by returning to the store to make into new bags

How to Recycle:

• Retail/Other - Big box stores and grocery stores. Search via plasticfilmrecycling.org.
• Drop-Off - Community-based programming
• Mail-In

Importance of Recycling: 

Plastic film is being used for a variety of applications in almost every industry. Products are shrink wrapped, pallets are shrink wrapped, boats are shrink wrapped, and plastic film is being used in agriculture as a weed barrier, to contain bales of hay and more. As these materials degrade in the environment they breakdown into microplastics in our environment and contributes to the global ocean plastics problem. Recycling plastic film can save between 8 and 23% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when compared to manufacturing virgin flexible plastics. Plastic bags are one of the top contaminants of recycling in programs across Michigan and can cost recycling facilities significant time and money to manage.