How do you recycle plastic wrapping and empty pellet bags?

[Sophie]

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
(broken link removed to http://maine.craigslist.org/grd/3579167205.html)

Also:
(broken link removed to http://www.crowleyfuel.com/blog/bid/185579/Recycling-Wood-Pellet-Bags-and-Pallets)

 

[gfreek]

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

 

[mrjohneel]

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.

 

[FS1971]

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.

 

[jslinger]

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.

 

[bmanMA]

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).

 

[briansol]

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.

 

[Stentor1]

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?

 

[velvetfoot]

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

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

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.

 

[ScotL]

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.