Reducing and Reusing Single-Use Plastics: Part 2

When it comes to recycling single-use plastics, things can get confusing—especially with everyday items like bags and food packaging. Here’s a quick guide to what’s usually recyclable and what’s not:

• Plastic grocery bags &  and shopping bags: Not accepted in curbside recycling carts. But many grocery stores have special drop-off bins for them. They can also be brought to Green Stations.
  
• Plastic bread bags: Not accepted in curbside recycling carts. The plastic twist ties and clips that come with the bread bags are not recyclable either.
  
• Food wrappers (chip bags, candy wrappers, etc.): Not recyclable. These are usually made of mixed materials that recycling systems can’t process.
  
• Styrofoam containers: Not recyclable. Avoid buying products in Styrofoam at all costs.
  
• Plastic utensils & and plates: Not recyclable. They’re often made from low-grade plastic and are too small or irregular for sorting machines.
  
• Take-out packaging: #1 plastic clamshell containers are accepted in the curbside cart. Styrofoam and other plastic to-go containers are not accepted. 
• Dry cleaning film: No recyclable .sv This is the same concept as the grocery bag, they do not belong.

When in doubt, visit MyDoRight.com to see what you can and cannot recycle.