Are you running a janitorial, hospitality, restaurant, or manufacturing company that handles trash bags? You may use them frequently to gather company or household waste that accumulates. When disposing of them, or the contents within them, you may wonder “Can trash bags be recycled?”
Before you throw them away, we have the answer you need in this article. Discover if you can recycle trash bags, learn what the most eco-friendly trash bags are, and find out what you should do with them after using them, below.
Can You Recycle Trash Bags in a Curbside Blue Bin?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency website , plastic bags and wraps cannot go in a curbside recycling bin. The main reason for this is the bags can cause sorting machinery at recycling facilities to jam because of the bags’ thin form - they can get tangled in the equipment and lead to contaminated bins. You should also avoid recycling cling film, plastic toys, and plastic padding.
Yet although you shouldn’t throw them in a recycling bin, this does not mean you cannot recycle plastic bags. There are other ways to dispose of them using a recycling process.
How Should You Recycle Trash Bags?
The simplest way to recycle trash bags is to take them to a recycling drop-off specifically for designated plastic film. These are more available than you might think, and they’re not difficult to find. In fact, the EPA website states that most grocery department stores will accept plastic bags in addition to carrier bags.
You might also need to know whether you can use a bag when throwing away recyclable items. The short answer is that it’s best to dispose of the recyclable items by placing them into the bin without a bag for trash, because trash bags can contaminate the recycling stream.
What Are the Best Trash Bags for Eco-Conscious Companies?
If you want to be on the safe side or prefer an eco-friendly trash bag, you have a few alternative options than traditional trash bags to consider. Here are a few viable options.
#1 Compostable Trash Bags
You may consider compostable trash bags for disposing of waste. Solutions such as these, in the janitorial and sanitation trash bags category, can accommodate food waste, and other types of organic waste. They are also ideal for composting needs, so your large specialized industrial composting facility, waste management company, or supermarket can use these bags for this process.
Options such as the Eco-Safe brand feature biodegradable trash bags that degrade in 10 to 45 days. They also produce a lower carbon footprint since they are made from renewable resources.
Ideal for :
Carrying food waste to a green bin.
Composting organic waste.
Avoiding a high carbon footprint.
#2 Biodegradable Trash Bags
When you need to collect waste and dispose of it with an eco-conscious solution, biodegradable trash bags can align with your eco-conscious ethos. Solutions such as these will degrade quickly, meaning you can dispose of them in a commercial compost facility while protecting the environment.
This solution is different from compostable trash bags. While all compostable bags are biodegradable, you will find that not all biodegradable bags are fit for composting processes. However, biodegradable bags will degrade faster than traditional trash bags and can carry significant amounts of waste.
Ideal for :
Aligning waste disposal with an eco-conscious ethos.
Disposing of a large amount of waste.
Protecting the environment.
#3 Recycled Low-Density Polyethylene Trash Bags
Although not accepted in a curbside recycling program, recycled low-density polyethylene trash bags can be recycled at a grocery department store. They are also an ideal green option because they produce a low carbon footprint and reduce the accumulation of plastic waste when recycled.
Janitorial companies can rely on these black bin bags, such as the Boardwalk low-density polyethylene brand, when they need to gather recyclable items like plastic bottles, shredded paper, plastic tubs, drinks cartons and other items, and take them to a recycling curbside bin, as they are lightweight yet durable and have an excellent tear resistance. Many LDPE bags are available in the janitorial/sanitation top category .
Ideal for :
Producing a low carbon footprint.
Minimizing the chances of waste falling from the bag.
Carrying large amounts of waste to the curbside bin.
Which Types of Companies Should Use Eco-Friendly Trash Bags?
If you are running a business in the hospitality or food industry , janitorial or agriculture, or manufacturing sector, produce large amounts of organic waste or garden waste, and have an eco-conscious ethos, you should consider using eco-friendly trash bags instead of traditional ones.
Across many industries, such as food service supermarkets large amounts of organic waste and other waste such as food trays are produced. These businesses can easily incorporate compostable bags into their food scraps disposal process
Businesses in the agriculture or manufacturing sector often handle specific waste streams and dispose of organic materials. When gathering all of these organic materials, an eco-friendly trash bag can be ideal and will align with an eco-conscious ethos.
If you are in charge of a business like this, you may need to purchase these types of bags in bulk. If you are wondering where to make bulk purchases of eco-friendly trash bags, look no further than BuyDirect. We will pass on savings to you in the form of discounts and free shipping when you register as a Mission customer. Have a look at our stock to find the solution you need.
Select Environmentally Friendly Trash Bags that Align with Your Eco-Friendly Ethos
As an eco-conscious individual running a janitorial, hospitality, restaurant, or manufacturing company, traditional trash bags will not align with your ethos, which is why you may want to stop using these options and focus on a trash bag brand that aligns with a healthy environment. If you’re wondering where to purchase these options, the answer is that we stock them at BuyDirect.
Our eco-friendly trash bags will harm the environment significantly less than a traditional trash bag. And keep in mind that you can recycle them in a grocery department store that accepts plastic bags. Need to purchase eco-friendly trash bags in bulk? We can help. Choose BuyDirect and browse our janitorial category to find high-grade environmentally friendly trash bags for your company.
FAQs
Looking for more information on traditional trash bags or options that are ideal for the environment? Check these FAQs.
Are Traditional Trash Bags Eco-Friendly?
The fact is that traditional trash bags are not as environmentally friendly when compared with biodegradable ones. A traditional trash bag will typically take much longer to degrade than their biodegradable counterpart.
Although some disposal methods can minimize the impact traditional plastic bags have on an ecosystem or on wildlife, if you are eco-conscious, a biodegradable trash bag from BuyDirect is the best option to consider.
What is the Most Environmentally Friendly Trash Bag?
One of the most environmentally friendly trash bags is the compostable type, as manufacturers create these bags using compostable materials. They often contain corn starch and no other harmful substances.
When your company disposes of compostable trash bags, you can rest assured that this environmentally friendly option will not impact the environment as much as a traditional trash bag, because it does not contain micro-plastics that take a long time to disappear.
Are All Trash Bags Biodegradable?
Unfortunately, the majority of trash bags aren’t biodegradable, although there are a few brands that do produce biodegradable options. You can find plenty of these at BuyDirect. However, compostable trash bags will degrade much faster in a commercial compost facility, which is why you might want to choose options like these instead.
At BuyDirect, we also stock compostable trash bags to support your eco-friendly ethos and help you protect the environment.