Omar Khalid
Plastic bags are a major contaminant at recycling facilities in Seattle. They get tangled in the equipment, causing the facility to shut down temporarily to remove them. As a result, since January 2020, plastic bags and plastic wraps do not belong in your recycling cart in Seattle. However, you can recycle them at specialized receptacles at participating stores or drop them off at the Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic bags in recycling bins | Not allowed |
| Plastic bags recycling | Only at specialized receptacles at participating stores |
| Plastic bags in landfills | Allowed |
| Plastic bags reuse | Encouraged |
| Plastic bags recycling drop-off locations | Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic bags cannot be recycled at home
As of January 2020, plastic bags and plastic wrap are no longer accepted in your recycling cart in Seattle. This includes items such as plastic wrap from paper towels or toilet paper, bread bags, food storage bags, cling wrap, and dry cleaning bags. Plastic bags cannot be recycled with other recyclables as they can contaminate the load and decrease the value of the recyclables.
If you have plastic bags that you want to recycle, you must take them to a specialized receptacle at a participating store or drop-off location. King County offers free recycling drop-offs for plastic bags and wraps at their Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations. If you are unable to visit these locations, it is recommended to reuse plastic bags or put them in the garbage.
It is important to note that even if your plastic bags say "recycle," they cannot be recycled in your curbside recycling bin. Always check your city's recycling guide or use the Where Does It Go? tool to determine the proper way to dispose of or recycle specific items.
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Plastic bags can be recycled at some stores
Plastic bags cannot be recycled at home in Seattle and should not be put in your recycling bin, even if they are bundled. They can get tangled in recycling equipment, causing the facility to shut down while they are removed, which is a time-consuming and costly process and poses a safety risk to workers.
However, plastic bags can be recycled at some stores in Seattle. They need to be dropped off at participating stores or disposed of in the garbage. Some locations that have been mentioned online include the Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations, and the West Seattle Stop N Shop, which accepts donations of plastic bags for reuse.
If you are unsure where your closest drop-off location is, you can search for approved bag recycling locations online.
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Plastic bags can be recycled at Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling stations
Plastic bags cannot be recycled at home in Seattle and should not be put in your recycling bin, even if they are bundled. They can get tangled in the machinery at recycling facilities, causing the facility to shut down while they are removed.
However, plastic bags can be recycled at the Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations. These stations offer free recycling drop-offs for plastic bags and wraps.
If you are unable to visit these locations, it is recommended that you reuse plastic bags or put them in the garbage. You can also donate plastic bags to thrift stores, such as the West Seattle Stop N Shop, or to your local food bank.
It is important to note that plastic bags should be empty, clean, and dry before being recycled.
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Plastic bags can contaminate other recyclables
Plastic bags cannot be recycled in your home bin in Seattle. They need to be returned to a specialized receptacle at a participating store. If you put plastic bags in your home recycling bin, they can contaminate other recyclables. They can get tangled in the machinery at recycling facilities, causing the facility to shut down while the plastic is removed. This slows down processing, drives up costs, and is a potential safety risk for workers. In addition, plastic bags can decrease the value of other recyclables by becoming mixed in with them. As a result, bagged recyclables are often sent to the landfill.
Recycling facilities do not clean recyclables, so it is important to make sure that any items you want to recycle are empty, clean, and dry. Leftover food or liquid in recyclables can create mold, attract bacteria, rodents, and insects, and cause spills that make paper and cardboard unrecyclable. Therefore, if you are unable to get your recyclables clean, it is better to throw them out.
If you are unsure whether an item is recyclable, you can look it up on Seattle's "Where Does It Go?" tool. In general, it is best to keep your recyclables loose in your bin.
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Plastic bags can damage recycling equipment
As of January 2020, plastic bags and plastic wrap do not belong in your recycling cart in Seattle. Plastic bags are a major contaminant at recycling facilities. They can get tangled in the recycling equipment, causing the facility to temporarily shut down for removal. This slows down the processing, driving up costs, and is a potential safety risk for workers.
Recycling facilities do not clean recyclables. Leftover food and liquid in recyclables can create mold, which ruins items and causes contamination. Plastic bags are thin and flimsy and can easily get tangled in the equipment at recycling facilities, causing the machinery to jam and shut down.
It is important to keep your recyclables loose in your bin and not put them in plastic bags. The recyclables inside plastic bags cannot be properly sorted, and the bags end up contaminating the entire load. Workers at the recycling facility have to manually remove these bags, which is time-consuming and can be unsafe.
If you are unsure about whether an item is recyclable, it is best to throw it out or look it up on the "Where Does It Go?" tool. Plastic bags can be recycled if they are returned to a specialized receptacle at a store. Some locations in Seattle that accept plastic bags for recycling or reuse include the West Seattle Stop N Shop and local food banks.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you cannot recycle plastic bags in your home recycling bin in Seattle. Plastic bags can jam up and tangle in recycling equipment, causing the facility to shut down temporarily.
Plastic bags can be recycled at specialised receptacles in participating stores. Some locations include Shoreline and Bow Lake recycling and transfer stations.
Plastic bags contaminate recycling loads and can decrease the value of other recyclables. They can also get tangled in recycling equipment, causing potential safety risks to workers.
You can reuse plastic bags or put them in the garbage. Some people use them as trash bags, or donate them to thrift stores, such as the West Seattle Stop N Shop.
Other non-recyclable materials include plastic wrap, cling film, liquids, food waste, soiled packaging, garden hoses, wire hangers, electronics, lightbulbs, and batteries.
