GreenGuardian.com is now RethinkRecycling.com
Rethink Recycling estimates that over 500,000 pounds of plastic shopping bags can be recycled each year in the metro area. Recycling your shopping bags keeps this material out of the trash, creates jobs and turns it into plastic lumber.
- Only take a bag if you need it. If you have one or two small items, consider carrying them out instead.
- Bring a cloth bag with you to the store. Ask the cashier if they offer a discount if you bring your own bag. Many stores do.
- Reuse plastic bags. Wash them if necessary.
- Some thrift stores will accept plastic and paper bags to use for their customers. Please check with the store prior to donating your bags.
Clean, dry, empty shopping bags can be recycled at the following metro area grocery stores:
- Cub Foods
- Lund's
- Byerly's
- Kowalski's
Bags are also accepted at Anoka County municipal drop-off recycling centers in Andover and Coon Rapids, The Dakota County Recycling Zone in Eagan and Hennepin County Recycling Centers in Brooklyn Park and Bloomington. Visit http://www.itsinthebagmn.org/ for a complete list of drop-off locations.
Do Recycle
- Note: All material must be clean and dry
- Plastic grocery bags
- Plastic retail bags with string ties and rigid plastic handles removed
- Plastic newspaper bags
- Plastic dry cleaning bags
- Plastic produce bags and bread bags with ALL food residue removed
- Plastic wrap from paper products (paper towels, etc.)
- Plastic salt bags with rigid plastic handles removed
- Plastic stretch/shrink wrap (Saran, Cling wrap, etc.)
Don't Recycle
- Plastic bags with strings or rigid plastic handles
- Plastic bags with food residue
- Plastic soil or mulch bags
- Plastic zipper type bags
- Plastic bubble wrap
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic food containers
- Wet plastic bags of any kind
IT'S IN THE BAG Recycling Program
The It’s in the Bag program is a joint private-public partnership that allows consumers to drop off their bags at retailers and several recycling centers. The program is managed by Minnesota Waste Wise and the material in the Twin Cities is picked up and sorted by Merrick, Inc., a Twin Cities based non-profit organization providing vocational support and habilitation services to adults with developmental disabilities. This recycling program created 36 new jobs for their clients. The plastic bags are sent to Trex Company in Virginia where it is recycled into a composite lumber typically used in the construction of decks and homes. The Rethink Recycling organization is pleased to provide support for this innovative recycling program that "closes the loop" on recycling.
A newspaper is recycled and back in circulation in less than four weeks. Don’t forget that you can recycle the inserts along with the newspaper!
