KEEP IT LOOSE
Don’t Be A Drag…Dump Out Your Bag
Plastic bags do not belong in your recycling bin.
Loose in the Bin
Not Bagged
No Bags, No Film, No Wrap... what does this mean?
- Keep your items loose in the bin (do not bag them)
- Do not include any type of bags, wrap or film including:
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- Grocery bags
- Ziplock bags
- Trash bags
- Cereal bags
- Bubble mailers
- Bubble wrap
- Saran wrap
- Shrinkwrap
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The only exception is shredded paper. Bag it in a transparent bag so the recycling team can see it, sort it out, and separate if for recycling.
Why are bags such a problem?
Bags are the number #1 challenge in the mixed recycling because:
• Labor Intensive: Equipment cannot sort bags, so they must be pulled out by hand.
• Hard on Equipment: If missed, bags get stuck in equipment and have to be cut out.
• No Markets: Unfortunately, bags that come from mixed recycling are too “dirty” for end processors. They end up in the landfill, just with a lot more effort and cost to get them there.
Millennium Recycling staff in Sioux Falls cutting bags out of the equipment. |
Bagged materials can’t be seen or sorted by equipment. |
What should you do with bags?
• Reduce and Reuse: Bring your own reusable bags (#BYOBSF) to the store and opt for paper instead of plastic.
• Recycle at Drop Off Locations: End markets are still available for “clean” plastic bags and film. Drop them off at participating grocery stores and other retailers with collection bins.