Plastic shopping bags are not accepted for recycling and are not accepted in the curbside programs. You can recycle plastic bags at most grocery stores and discount department stores, such as Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's, BiLo, etc. Look for the plastic bag recycling bin near the front of the store. Remember to remove paper and receipts from the bags before recycling.

According to the Marine Conservation Society of the UK it takes 450 -1000 years for plastic bags to break down. Plastic in the marine environment never fully degrades. The end product of the break down, "plastic dust," is ingested by filter feeding marine animals. The dust and the bio-toxins, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that the plastic dust accumulates, are passed up the food chain to fish and humans.

Biodegradable bags made of cornstarch and other degradable components do exist. However, they need air and light to break down, conditions which most landfills don't provide. At best, biodegradable bags take months to years to break down, are more costly than plastic, and as a category comprise only a tiny fraction of the market. Some recycling coordinators predict that improvements in biodegradable bags may make them a more attractive and more affordable choice in the future.

You can reduce the number of plastic shopping bags that you need to recycle. First, carry your own reusable shopping bags. Second, reuse plastic bags to pick up pet waste or to line trash cans.

Use one shopping bag to hold the others. This makes it handy to grab a bag for reuse, such as lining a trash can, or to deliver them to the store for recycling.

(Image provided by Buncombe County.)

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