# How do you recycle plastic wrapping and empty pellet bags?



## Stentor (Dec 22, 2011)

I know this is not the most important question in the world, but how do you recycle empty plastic bags and the plastic wrapping that goes a ton of pellets? 

I use some of the bags for garbage but I would like to just get rid of other empty bags and the wrapping in an easy way. The local supermarkets stores take their own plastic bags for groceries and of course do not want hard plastic items. (Recycle company picks up paper, glass, plastic etc. every week.)  I asked a couple of supermarket managers and they didn't know but guessed the bags count as stretchable plastic.


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## Frogwood (Dec 22, 2011)

Very good question Stentor. I was putting mine in with the recycling material that gets picked up every other week until our local recycling center put out a notice asking folks not to do that since they were getting too many bags and it was gumming up their machines. So mine are going in with the regular garbage pickup now.


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## St_Earl (Dec 22, 2011)

we take ours to the dump/transfer station.
they are happy to take them all in their recycle bin.


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## Bank (Dec 22, 2011)

St_Earl said:
			
		

> we take ours to the dump/transfer station.
> they are happy to take them all in their recycle bin.



Ditto, here in Southern Maine!


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## xraycer (Dec 22, 2011)

I try to reuse as many as I can, such as using them as trash bags(for dry rubbish), but otherwise they going in regular trash since my town don't recycle plastic bags. Hate not being able to recycle these bags.


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## smoke show (Dec 22, 2011)

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/search_results/8943e784f3bf51540959a53d8aaf625b/


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## BradH70 (Dec 22, 2011)

Yup, mine have to go in the trash as well. Even though the bags qualify for recycling, my town transfer station will only take them as standard trash. They are making potato chip bags out of biodegradable material now, wonder how long before they do the same with the pellet bags. Then you can just bury them in the garden!


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## ironpony (Dec 22, 2011)

I reuse them in the kitchen trash can
saves from buying bags that are going to be thrown out.......
Hmmmmmm.............
just saying that made me think

we buy things that only purpose is to be thrown away
might as well throw away the money
boy, am I going to change my ways drastically
wonder how many others I can think of


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## fidiro (Dec 22, 2011)

Never had anyone tell me not to throw plastic bags in the regular recycling bin.  I throw anything plastic into the recycling bin which includes any plastic bags.  I'll keep recycling them this way until someone tells me the bags are not recyclable like any other plastic.  Sometimes they get filled with plastic bottles, cans and any other recyclable materials and just place the full bag in the recycling can and they take it all.

I do it since plastic is plastic so what difference does it make, IDK.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Dec 22, 2011)

ITBURNS(AKA pelletnubi) said:
			
		

> Never had anyone tell me not to throw plastic bags in the regular recycling bin.  I throw anything plastic into the recycling bin which includes any plastic bags.  I'll keep recycling them this way until someone tells me the bags are not recyclable like any other plastic.  Sometimes they get filled with plastic bottles, cans and any other recyclable materials and just place the full bag in the recycling can and they take it all.
> 
> I do it since plastic is plastic so what difference does it make, IDK.



I depends upon the recycling facility as to what they can process, most towns/whatever will post a list of what can be recycled by them.  Some can not handle any bags at all and others can take just about anything.  YMWV, your mileage will vary.


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## Eatonpcat (Dec 22, 2011)

Just stacking them in the garage for now...Hoping to find some use for them, but if not I will put them in the recycle bin.


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## MickyM (Dec 22, 2011)

Litter box liners and also good for throwing out items that 
Would otherwise tear a normal trash bag.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Dec 22, 2011)

Just don't use them for wet stuff as it will drip out all those little holes.  

Remember no cleaning fish, birds, etc into the pellet bags, big messy follows.


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## Eatonpcat (Dec 22, 2011)

SmokeyTheBear said:
			
		

> Just don't use them for wet stuff as it will drip out all those little holes.
> 
> Remember no cleaning fish, birds, etc into the pellet bags, big messy follows.



Sounds like the voice of experience right there!!


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## xraycer (Dec 22, 2011)

ITBURNS(AKA pelletnubi) said:
			
		

> Never had anyone tell me not to throw plastic bags in the regular recycling bin.  I throw anything plastic into the recycling bin which includes any plastic bags.  I'll keep recycling them this way until someone tells me the bags are not recyclable like any other plastic.  Sometimes they get filled with plastic bottles, cans and any other recyclable materials and just place the full bag in the recycling can and they take it all.
> 
> I do it since plastic is plastic so what difference does it make, IDK.



I take my trash/recycable to a transfer station and they won't accept any plastic bags as recyclables. I have to bring my shopping bags to grocery stores that collects them.


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## Ironhorse74 (Dec 22, 2011)

Interesting question. At the rate cities around the Pacific Northwest are banning plastic bags, how long until they ban pellet bags? Are times changing? Will we have to go to some silo with garbage cans to get our pellets in the future?


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## Roadstar (Dec 22, 2011)

Our local Walmart has a plastic recycling bin as you enter.  I just save all the plastic bags, grocery, pellet, etc., put them in a plastic grocery bag, tie it up and drop it off.  My Bear Mountain pellet bags are rated #4 for recycling, I assume all are.

Yes I shop at Walmart.


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## jtakeman (Dec 22, 2011)

Mine go in the single stream recycling bin.

There is a Company putting pellets in reusable burlap bags. See this thread.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/86200/


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## Murphy118 (Dec 22, 2011)

My Yellow Lab, Quinto, is resposoble for filling one per week about 1/3 full.  ALong with the little mutt , Guido, i use one bag per week on them, one per week in the mud room can, keep a stash of them in the shed for assorted purposes, and in the fall the Mrs. uses them for garden waste, small bunches of branches, etc.
    I honestly can't say that I ever "threw out" a used pellet bag,,,,, I'm on my third season burning, and have burnt about 3 1/2 tons till now..... thats 175 bags,,,,,, 3years is 156 weeks,,,, the math tells me that I must be getting an influx of bags from somewhere,,,,,,hmmmmmm

John


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## djs_net (Dec 22, 2011)

This has been a topic of discussion in my house.
We have the single stream recycling mentioned above which is nice because we don't have to sort or seperate the stuff. They take everything plastic #1 - #7 but their website says that plastic bags are not allowed.
The first ton I bought was Greene Gold and there isn't any recycle # on the bag, so I was tossing them in the trash. The Hamers I just bought have a recycle #4 on the bag so I've been putting those in the recycyle bin.


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## tony58 (Dec 22, 2011)

Murphy118 said:
			
		

> My Yellow Lab, Quinto, is resposoble for filling one per week about 1/3 full.  ALong with the little mutt , Guido, i use one bag per week on them, one per week in the mud room can, keep a stash of them in the shed for assorted purposes, and in the fall the Mrs. uses them for garden waste, small bunches of branches, etc.
> I honestly can't say that I ever "threw out" a used pellet bag,,,,, I'm on my third season burning, and have burnt about 3 1/2 tons till now..... thats 175 bags,,,,,, 3years is 156 weeks,,,, the math tells me that I must be getting an influx of bags from somewhere,,,,,,hmmmmmm
> 
> John



 Same here dog and cat crap.We fill up several bags per week that I haul to the dump.So we save every one we use for the summer.Shewee they get to stinking in the hot months....


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## russ79@hotmail.com (Dec 22, 2011)

The bags are not recyclable in my area so they go in the regular garbage.  The large bag over the whole pallet goes to my uncle,  he uses it for covering his firewood,  I haven't converted him to pellets, YET.


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## Three3 (Dec 23, 2011)

Walmart


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## Xena (Dec 23, 2011)

My curbside recycle pickup has been taking them
all these years so until they tell me not to put
them in the bin I'll continue to do so.


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## drken567 (Dec 29, 2011)

New England Wood Pellet bags are supposedly the same material as plastic grocery bags - think I saw that on their website, maybe on the bags themselves. I have been taking 5 or 10 at a time to the local grocery store and stuffing them into the bag-recycling box. Local recycling center also has experimental bag-recycling bin so have been feeding that once in a while, too.


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## Sophie (Feb 16, 2013)

I feel very bad about throwing the bags/using them for trash.  I wish this person was in NH:

Craigslist: Wanted - Pellet Bags (Maine):
I am looking for as many pellet bag's as I can get, Preferably cut from either end at the top. These are being reused Multiple times instead of dumped in a land fill. looking for free to very cheap.
Bob
http://maine.craigslist.org/grd/3579167205.html

Also:
http://www.crowleyfuel.com/blog/bid/185579/Recycling-Wood-Pellet-Bags-and-Pallets


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## gfreek (Feb 16, 2013)

Sent a small piece to a recycling organization and was told to put them in the plastic bag bin at the supermarket.....


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## mrjohneel (Feb 16, 2013)

My town ask that plastic bags NOT be included in our new single-stream recycling program. I've just been throwing them away but I like the idea of bringing them to the supermarket.


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## FS1971 (Feb 17, 2013)

Interesting question. I fold them up to really put as many as I can into on bag and off to HD with them. I got them from HD and I put them in the dumpster where all there other plastic goes.


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## jslinger (Feb 18, 2013)

Three3 said:


> Walmart


My father said that the Wal Mart near where he lives is the only place that will take them.  He burns Vermont Wood Pellets, but I am unsure of the # on the bag.


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## bmanMA (Feb 18, 2013)

I'm new to this, but so far I've been putting mine in our town singlestream recycling.  No clue what happens after that... I am kinda keeping my head in the sand on that.  Maybe I should just take them to the grocery store or Wally World.  Wife does that anyhow. 

I agree that the industry should take a look at this; it's pretty contradictory to claim one is using pellets as an environmentally-friendly fuel when many bags are destined for landfills (haven't seen a Canadian brand with recycling info, nor any material info, for example).


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## briansol (Feb 18, 2013)

my town has single stream recyce as well, but does not take plastic bags of any kind either.  They jam the machines i guess.

i regular trash them.  i have no other real use for them.   I'm particualr about my trash bags and these would never be a viable replacement for me.  They don't close or stay over the sides in the trash can.  ocd kicking in?

$13 for a box of 13 gal kitchen trash bags at the wholesale club.  lasts more than a year.


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## Stentor1 (Feb 18, 2013)

I re-use as best I can for trash and pet poop but four tons gives me 200 bags a year.  I guess how to recycle them is different depending on where you live.  Too bad nobody with real re-recycling knowledge (like being in the business) has run across this thread and replied.

I wonder whether just shoving bags into the supermarket bin just means useless bags are disposed of by the re-cycle company or will mixing my bag in to the stretchable plastic of supermarket bags contaminate the whole batch?


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## velvetfoot (Feb 19, 2013)

You guys got me thinking:  no go for our single stream recyclng either:
http://www.county-waste.com/data/Unsorted/Single_Stream_Recyclable_Items-62924-1.pdf


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## SmokeyTheBear (Feb 19, 2013)

Every place is different in how recyclable materials are handled or for that mater what is a recyclable material .  Some require all bags to be kept separate and out of the recycle stream but allow the same materials to be recycled if they are not in bag form. 

Some have no issues as long as the material has a correct number from a range of numbers stamped on it.   Some places still require materials to be separated at the recycling center or transfer station.


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## ScotL (Feb 19, 2013)

If you're near Athens Maine, you can take them to Maine Woods Pellet. We have a compactor and ship the plastic to Portland when we get a full truckload. We instituted our own recycling program a few years ago after getting a lot of questions about where to recycle the bags.


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