Can You Recycle Plastic Bags?
Don't put plastic bags in your curbside recycling bin—they tangle in sorting machinery and shut down recycling facilities. Instead, return them to store drop-off bins at grocery stores, Target, Walmart, and other retailers that collect plastic film for recycling.
Key Takeaways
- Plastic bags are made from LDPE (low-density polyethylene, #4), which is recyclable but requires separate processing.
- Bags with food residue, receipts stuck inside, or crinkly texture (like chip bags) cannot be recycled this way.
- Reusing bags is better than recycling—keep some in your car for shopping trips or use for trash can liners.
Explanation
Plastic bags are made from LDPE (low-density polyethylene, #4), which is recyclable but requires separate processing. When bags enter regular recycling streams, they wrap around equipment, causing costly shutdowns and repairs.
Most major grocery chains have collection bins near their entrances. These bins accept not just shopping bags but also bread bags, produce bags, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap, and plastic shipping envelopes (air pockets removed).
The collected plastic film gets turned into composite lumber, playground equipment, new bags, and other products. This closed-loop recycling only works when bags are clean and dry—no food residue or moisture.
The United States uses an estimated 100 billion plastic bags per year, but less than 5% are returned for recycling. A single plastic bag takes 10-1,000 years to break down in a landfill, and even then it fragments into microplastics rather than fully decomposing. In recycling facilities, plastic bags are the number one contaminant, causing an average of 10-15 machine stoppages per day at large sorting plants. Each stoppage requires a worker to manually cut tangled film from equipment, costing the facility time and money that is ultimately passed on to municipalities and taxpayers.
To prepare plastic bags for store drop-off recycling, stuff all your bags into one bag so they stay together, and make sure they are clean, dry, and free of any stickers, receipts, or food residue. The How2Recycle Store Drop-Off label on packaging indicates that the film is compatible with these programs. Besides grocery bags, accepted items include newspaper sleeves, Ziploc-type bags with the zipper cut off, cereal box liners, and the plastic wrap around cases of water bottles or paper towels. Items that look similar but are NOT accepted include candy wrappers, chip bags (which contain a metallic lining), and any bag that crinkles when squeezed rather than stretching.
Things to Know
- Bags with food residue, receipts stuck inside, or crinkly texture (like chip bags) cannot be recycled this way.
- Reusing bags is better than recycling—keep some in your car for shopping trips or use for trash can liners.
- Some areas have plastic bag bans, encouraging reusable alternatives.
- "Biodegradable" plastic bags often can't be recycled with regular plastic film.
- Amazon plastic mailers and padded shipping envelopes can be recycled at store drop-off bins if the shipping label is removed and any air pockets are deflated or removed first.