Reuseit goes on to say that only 1 in 100 plastic bags used in the United Kingdom is recycled. It stands to reason the numbers are similar (if not worse) in the United States. But film plastic is fairly easy to recycle if you can group enough of it together. As people become more aware of the need to recycle plastic bags and other plastic products, more and more opportunities to recycle film are cropping up.

How to recycle produce bags

Many communities do not allow film plastic to be recycled through their curbside recycling program. As we stated previously, film plastic is a real hassle in recycling operations because it gets caught in recycling machinery and can cause unsightly litter at recycling sites. However, there are a few places that recycle produce bags and other plastic bags through household recycling programs. Los Angeles and Madison, Wisconsin, are a few examples. To ensure the bags cannot get tangled in recycling equipment, it is best to collect lots of plastic bags in one big bag, then tie the handles to create a large film plastic ball. Make sure the bags are clean and dry before placing them in your recycling bin. If your community does not accept produce bags at the curb, the best place to look for a recycling program is actually your grocery store. A growing number of supermarkets have film collection bins right inside the door. Their primary purpose is to take shopping bags, but most of them also take other types of film, including produce bags and sandwich bags. Check their signage to find out exactly what they accept. Your community’s recycling center may have a film plastic recycling receptacle as well. Check their website for details, or give them a call. If you are still struggling to find a place to recycle produce bags, visit PlasticFilmRecycling.org. Their website has a handy search tool you can use to find plastic recyclers. You can also use RecycleNation’s Recycle Search tool to locate your closest produce bag recycler.

How to reuse produce bags

I reuse produce bags by bringing them back to the grocery store and using them over and over again. If I needed a bag for a large quantity of limes on one trip, I bring that bag back and load it up with potatoes the follow time. No one in a store has ever questioned this activity. In addition, I have found that sellers at farmers’ markets are very open to seeing their produce placed in other types of plastic bags, such as clean bread and tortilla bags. If your produce bags get a little dirty, you can always wash them and use them a second time. If you do this frequently, it is definitely worth buying or making a plastic bag dryer.

How to decrease your use of produce bags

Not everything you buy at the grocery store needs to go in a produce bag. I am always amazed when I see people stuffing single heads of lettuce or bunches of bananas in produce bags. There is no real reason to put single items or items that are already grouped together into a produce bag. In fact, there is often no real reason to put even multiple items in a produce bag. Unless you buy potatoes, apples or oranges by the dozen (and perhaps you have a big family and do purchase large quantities at a time), it is really not necessary to put your food in a produce bag. It will be a little harder to get it onto the conveyer belt at the grocery store, but it is worth it to cut down on the amount of plastic you consume. In some cases it may make more sense to put your produce items in another type of bag. For example, mushrooms should be stored in the refrigerator in paper bags, not plastic. If you would like to avoid plastic altogether, look into reusable cloth produce bags. A simple mesh produce bag like these from Reuseit is easy to clean and allows you to see what you are storing in your bag. If you would like to make your own produce bags, follow these instructions from The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.