Despite having one of the most progressive laws in the country, many Californians are unaware that they can recycle their plastic shopping bags (along with all sorts of product wraps) at large grocery stores throughout the State.
That’s right. The plastic grocery bags that you may have used today, or if you’re like me, have pilled up in your cupboard, can easily be recycled at most major grocery stores. California was the first state in the nation to require plastic bag collection bins in major grocery stores, and other states are now following our lead. Recyclers use these bags to make products like durable wood-plastic composite lumber, playground equipment and new plastic bags.
You might be interested to know that in addition to your plastic bags, you can also recycle what’s called “plastic film and wraps,” a category that includes your produce bags, dry cleaning bags, newspaper bags, bread bags, and a host of other plastic bag-like material. You can check out the following consumers recycling guide here.
So the next time you head out to the local grocery store, just remember to take your bags with you and drop them in the bin! It’s an easy way to help the environment.