How to recycle plastic bags starts with one rule: keep bags, wrap and stretchy film out of the household recycling cart. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says these materials may be recyclable, but they need a separate retail or community drop-off. Local programs decide which films they take and where.
Photo: Soft-plastic recycling bin at a Co-op store in Brighton, England. Andy Li, 19 January 2023. CC0 1.0 · Source. Resized for web.
Why plastic bags skip the curbside cart
Loose film behaves differently from bottles, tubs and other rigid containers. At a sorting plant, bags and wrap can wind around screens, gears and belts instead of moving through the equipment as a rigid package. That is why EPA tells households not to put plastic bags, wrap or film in the recycling bin, even when a recycling symbol appears on the item.
Do not use a plastic shopping bag to bundle curbside recyclables unless your local program explicitly requires it. Loose accepted containers are easier for a sorting system to identify; a bag can hide the contents and may be treated as contamination.
What may go to a film drop-off
The exact list belongs to the operator of the drop-off bin. Commonly accepted items can include clean, dry shopping bags, bread bags, produce bags, newspaper sleeves, air pillows, bubble wrap and stretch film. Some zip-top bags may be accepted after the zipper is cut away; EPA specifically advises removing sealable zippers where necessary.
Before making a trip:
- Empty the bag or wrap completely.
- Remove receipts, labels and rigid attachments when the program asks.
- Keep the film clean and dry.
- Check the collection bin or the operator’s website for its current list.
- Keep compostable bags, food pouches and other multilayer packages out unless they are named.
A resin number by itself is not permission. The receiving program’s list decides.
Where it turns local
New York City does not accept soft plastics such as plastic bags, bubble wrap, plastic mailing envelopes or snack wrappers in curbside recycling. DSNY says large retailers covered by New York’s take-back law must collect film plastic from residents. Use the store’s marked film-plastic bin and follow its posted list.
Austin also keeps plastic bags and film out of the blue cart. Austin Resource Recovery says residents may use store drop-offs or make an appointment at the Recycle and Reuse Center, which accepts clean, dry plastic bags, film and wrap. The center is free for Austin and Travis County residents; eligibility and appointments still apply.
Other cities may offer only retail take-back, a municipal specialty site or no local film program at all. Start with your city or county page, then confirm the current rule with the collector named there.
How to find your local answer
Check three places, in this order:
- your city, county or hauler’s accepted-materials list;
- the website or sign for a nearby store’s film-plastic bin;
- a local recycling locator if the official program points to one.
Call the store before carrying a large load. A location shown in an old directory may have removed its bin, and different chains may accept different packaging.
If no verified drop-off takes the material, put it in the trash rather than contaminating the curbside recycling cart. Reuse a clean bag when practical, but do not stockpile film indefinitely in the hope that a program will appear.
What this is not
This guide is about flexible plastic bags and film. It does not cover rigid bottles, jugs and tubs, which follow the local curbside list, or compostable plastic bags, which belong only in a compost program that explicitly accepts them. It also does not mean every package labeled “recyclable” has a nearby collection program.
For hard plastic, use the city’s rigid-plastic rules. For foam packaging, see how to dispose of Styrofoam. For a bag that held hazardous chemicals, follow the product label and the local household hazardous waste program instead of a retail film bin.
