In the 1990s, plastic bags replaced paper as the standard way to carry our stuff home from stores across the United States. Plastic bags were stronger and more waterproof than paper, making them a more popular choice. Unfortunately, plastic bags cause challenges elsewhere.
Plastic bags are a type of film plastic. They are thin, lightweight and stretchy. At recycling facilities, plastic bags get wrapped around sorting equipment, thus interrupting the process and damaging equipment. Compare it to when you get a shoelace caught in your bicycle chain.
At landfills, plastic bags become tiny “parachutes” floating around the property. Considerable effort is needed to maintain plastic bags at landfills, including dedicated crews for picking up windblown materials and portable litter control fences.
Luckily, we can limit waste by considering these eco-friendly alternatives.
1. Reusable & Recyclable Bags
If you don’t have reusable bags, you can find them on your next shopping trip--many supermarkets sell them near the checkout. Also, there are often free reusable bags at various community events and fairs, especially ones about the environment. You can also learn how greener habits can help the environment while participating in fun activities with the family.
Other sustainable options include:
- Tote & canvas bags
- Bookbags
- Beach bags
- Purses--for small items
- Paper bags (if available in-store) ---recycle them afterward
- Cardboard boxes—if you have any around at home, put them in your car and reuse them as containers
Want to learn more about what’s recyclable? Take a look at our acceptable items list.
2. Get Creative On-The-Go
How often have you arrived at the store to realize you forgot the reusable bags? Here are a few preparation tips and creative solutions to always remember:
- Keep a couple of extra reusable bags somewhere in the car, especially the trunk
- Hang them by the front door, in your coat closet, or make a designated “reusable bag” in baskets or bins
- Return bags to the car after unloading
- Include your reusable bag as the first item on your shopping list
3. Cardboard Boxes
Save plastic bags by using cardboard boxes for your groceries. Some grocery stores offer cardboard boxes to their customers - try it out! Cardboard boxes are great for organizing items in your cart to prevent them from rolling and squishing, and can help you keep hot and cold items separate. They’re especially nice for standing plastic or glass bottles upright to prevent clanking and to keep smaller items like makeup from falling through the cracks in your cart.
Another option is to keep your items loose in your cart, and then bring your cart to your vehicle where you have boxes in place and ready.
Tip: Want to avoid unloading items for a super quick checkout?
Bring 1 empty box to checkout. Your cashier will be able to remove items from one box, scan them, then place them directly into the empty box. When checkout is complete, place groceries and boxes directly into the trunk of your car. No rolling jar of spaghetti sauce clanking against your canned soup, no flattened loaf of bread, no ice cream melted all over your hot chicken dinner. Your groceries will remain organized and be easy to put away when you return home. You may even wish to keep them in their boxes in the pantry for further organization.
4. Ways to Reuse Your Plastic Bags
Sometimes, plastic bags are the only available option. Rather than throwing them away after one use, consider other ways you can reuse plastic bags:
- Use as liners for small garbage cans
- Use as pet waste bags
- Store in your car to throw away trash while on the go
- Use as cushions when shipping packages or moving
- Place dirty cleaning rags inside them
- Pack some in your suitcase to store dirty laundry & shoes during trips
- Wrap fragile holiday décor in them for storage
- Minimize the odor of dirty diapers by wrapping them in plastic bags before throwing them away
- Return to the store—many grocery stores often have bag collection bins
Pro Tip
As a helpful tip, when using small plastic bags for collecting trash, be sure to place them inside a larger trash bag, such as one from your kitchen. This will help prevent the small plastic bag from ripping open in the trash truck.
Check Us Out!
When we all work together to make more eco-friendly choices, we can help prevent unnecessary waste, save natural resources and keep the earth healthy for future generations.
To learn more about our recycling services and keep up with the latest recycling news, follow Rumpke on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Rumpke Blog
Author: Leah Dietle, East Area Communications Assistant
