Can you recycle plastic bags?

Plastic bags are recyclable as a material but not through kerbside collection, and putting them in the wrong bin causes real damage. Sorting facilities use rotating screens and belts; film wraps around the shafts and bearings, and lines have to be stopped and cut free by hand, sometimes several times a day. Supermarkets and large retailers commonly run film drop-off bins that take carrier bags, bread bags, produce bags, bubble wrap and shipping envelopes, all of which go to a dedicated film recycling stream. The film must be clean and dry.

How to do it properly

1. Collect bags, bread bags, produce bags and bubble wrap together.
2. Make sure they are clean, dry and free of receipts or crumbs.
3. Take them to a supermarket film drop-off bin.

What goes wrong

• Film in a kerbside bin jams sorting machinery and shuts the line down.
• Wet or food-soiled film is rejected even at drop-off points.

Other "can you recycle" questions

• Can you recycle pizza boxes? It depends — Clean parts yes, grease-soaked parts no — tear the box and bin the oily half.
• Can you recycle batteries? It depends — Yes, but only at a collection point. Batteries in a kerbside bin start fires.
• Can you recycle styrofoam? No — Effectively no. Almost no kerbside service takes it, and food-soiled foam never qualifies.
• Can you recycle coffee cups? It depends — Not in ordinary paper recycling — the plastic lining needs a specialist facility.
• Can you recycle receipts? No — No. Most receipts are thermal paper coated with BPA or BPS and must go in general waste.
• Can you recycle shredded paper? It depends — Often not loose — short fibres fall through the sorting screens. Bag it or check locally.

Kerbside recycling rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always beat general guidance. Check your own collection service before assuming any material is accepted.