To bag or not to bag your recyclables? The answer is simple. Leave them loose! Plastic bags, film and flexible packaging are not accepted in our curbside carts. In fact, they’re the number one contaminant of our curbside recycling. The value of recyclables is directly tied to how clean, or uncontaminated, they are. The success of the recycling industry is dependent on finding buyers for clean, quality recyclable materials. Keeping your recyclables loose is the easiest way you can contribute to the success of our recycling program.
Why Aren’t Bags Allowed in Our Program?
In The Woodlands, we enjoy the convenience of a single-stream recycling program in which all acceptable materials are deposited in one cart. However, the recyclables – plastic containers and bottles, cartons, cardboard, paper, metal cans and glass containers – must be sorted once they reach the materials recovery facility (MRF).
During the initial stages of sorting, loose plastic bags and film are separated from the rest of the materials by hand. This takes a great deal of effort, and much of it slips by, wrapping around machinery and damaging equipment further down the line. MRFs must shut down the processing line several times a day to remove plastic film entangled in the machines. This takes up valuable time and increases costs. It also creates unsafe working conditions for the individuals that must crawl into the machines to remove the film. Check out the video below to see the effects of plastic bags on MRF equipment.
Why can't you recycle plastic bags? Video
The Problem with Bagging Recyclables
When we bag our recyclables, we cause a different problem: workers and machines at the MRF can’t tell what the material inside is, so the entire bag is removed as contamination and sent to the landfill. If you watched the video above, you saw that the recycling sorting process is incredibly fast, so workers do not have the time to break open bags and save bagged recyclables from the trash.
Although plastic bags and film do not belong in our curbside carts, they are recyclable and at the store! Items such as newspaper sleeves, case wrap, and produce bags can all be returned to your local Kroger or H-E-B. If you’re not sure what can be recycled at the store, you’re not alone! View the list of accepted items and tips for determining what can go to the store in our Beyond the Bag resource.
For more information, contact the Environmental Services Department at enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov or 281-210-3800.