How to recycle very thin plastic bags?
by Dhananjay Aditya
Such bags are a great problem. Those can not reuse. People use it for landfill, which is harmful to the earth. Burning is polluting air.
Lina's Response from Yahoo!Answers with more added:
There are many ways you can recycle. Here are some very conventional ways:
1. Many trash collection companies do not take plastic bags, but most supermarkets in US, Canada, and Europe have recycling sections at their entrance (such as WalMart), right by the $0.05 bottle redemption center, where they accept, plastic bags, paper, cans, etc. I often stuff my bags into one big bag and put in plastic bag receptacle.
2. You can reuse your plastic bags when you go shopping, many stores have begun to charge a couple of pennies per bag to reduce the use of plastic.
3. You can use as trash bags especially for smaller receptacles in bathrooms, bedrooms, offices, etc. They are perfectly good for that.
4. You can place them in the plastic bag receptacles at parks and dog parks for people to use for their dogs or picnic trash.
Here are some creative ways to incorporate them:
- For an easy energy conservation tip, use them for air-sealing your attic or basement. Stuff the bags with fiberglass or cellulose insulation, or even torn up newspaper and fit them snuggly into any openings and holes that cause drafts in your home. This works really well in attics (no one sees them), is bug and pest proof, and lasts forever.
- Plastic bags are indispensable for travel. Use them for isolating and compartmentalizing your clothes in your suitcase. I put my shoes in different
plastic bags. I double or triple bag my toiletries, and tie them safely, so spills don't leak all over my clothes. I put my intimate wear and swim suits in another bag. And I carry several extra, so that I can use them to carry groceries or other items during my travels in remote places. In Europe, for example, stores charge for plastic bags.
- I use plastic bags as shower caps when traveling.
- Plastic bags filled with rags or bubble wrap are great for shipping fragile items.
- Use them as ground weed control. You can poke small holes in them beforehand - these bags help the earth retain moisture and worms love them, while reducing weeds. Put wood chips or old shredded paper on top for mulch. They work well in small raised beds, especially for kids looking to start a small garden with say 4 inches of soil...
- Use them for crafts - a really cute one that comes to mind is a Christmas wreath made of a coat hanger and plastic bags.
- Use them as wrapping paper. Cut at seams, and tape different color ones together for really creative wrapping paper that gets a lot of comments. Several people I know also use old pillow cases for wrapping presents. Why not?
- Cut them to size and use them for stuffing candy, and goodies for goody bags, parties, etc.
- I have seen baskets and bowls weaved out of plastic bags
- I have seen rope made out of plastic bags
I am sure you can come up with many other ways to use them...