Can I recycle plastic bags? Can I recycle plastic shipping packaging? Can I recycle plastic wrap?
Plastic bags and wraps DO NOT go in curbside recycling bins.
Plastic bags and wraps DO go to participating retail store recycling bins.
But why can't it go into the curbside cart? The short answer is that they gum up the works. Stretchy plastic bags and wraps often get stuck in the sorting equipment. Then, workers must shut down the machinery to cut and yank out the contamination. This can be dangerous, and it's a waste of time, money, and material.
Can I put my recyclables in a plastic bag and toss it all into my curbside bin?
NO!
Like other plastic bags and wraps, that plastic trash bag holding your recyclables gums up the works (see above). All recyclables must go into your curbside bin loose (i.e., not in a bag).
Can I put my recyclables in a paper bag and toss it all into my curbside bin?
NO!
Even though the paper bag can be recycled too, restraining recyclable items prevents them from being sorted properly. They must be loose to be identified in the sorting process.
If you do collect your recyclables in a plastic or paper bag, dump the recyclables out of the bag into your curbside bin and reuse the bag if you can!