Plastic Bags and Film Wrap Recycling
Plastic bags and film wrap can be recycled, but not in municipal curbside programs! Bags and film wrap are considered “contamination” at a Materials Recovery Facility where recyclables are processed because they get tangled in the equipment. Therefore, plastic bags and film wrap are not acceptable materials to be placed in your recycling container to be picked up as part of your weekly curbside collection.
So, what exactly is plastic film wrap and how do you recycle it?
Plastic film – also known as plastic film packaging – is soft, flexible polyethylene (PE) packaging such as grocery, bread, zip-top, and dry cleaning bags. It’s also the wrap that is around many products including paper plates, napkins, bathroom tissue, diapers, and more.
To recycle, completely empty plastic bags and make sure film wrap is clean and dry. Then stuff into one bag, tie closed, and take to your nearest participating grocery or retail store.
To learn more about plastic bags and film, including which types you can recycle and where to recycle them, please visit plasticfilmrecycling.org.