Plastic Films Require Separate Drop-Off for Recycling

Soft plastic films include grocery bags, bread bags, and bubble wrap. These items are made primarily from high- or low-density polyethylene and are labeled with the numbers two or four. Placing plastic films in curbside recycling bins can clog equipment at processing facilities. U.S. landfills in 2018.

Plastic films can be identified by the three-arrow recycling symbol containing the number two or four. Items without these numbers may contain multiple layers and are more difficult to recycle. Before drop-off, residents should remove food residue, receipts, and other contaminants. Materials that are heavily degraded should be placed in regular trash instead.

Many grocery and convenience stores maintain collection bins for plastic films. The company Trex accepts these materials and converts them into outdoor decking products. Local organizations such as NOVA Creative Reuse Center and Precious Plastic NYC accept donations for reuse or repurposing.

Residents can also reuse plastic bags for multiple shopping trips or other household purposes before disposal. "All we're really trying to do is take this stuff out of the environment, and put it into something where we know what it is," said Gary Dusek, founder of Precious Plastic NYC.