Can You Recycle Plastic Bags in Manitoba?
Plastic bags are not accepted in your household recycling. There’s a different way to recycle certain plastic bags in some communities, and lots of ways to reuse them.
Plastic bags don’t belong in the blue bin
Plastic bags and film are recyclable, but not in your blue bin. When your recycling is picked up, it goes to a sorting facility that separates different materials.
Plastic bags and film are a big problem for these facilities. They get tangled and jam up the machinery. Everything has to be shut down when that happens so staff can remove the bags. This can causes huge delays in sorting and adds risks to staff.
Bagged recyclables also pose a danger to sorting staff because they can’t see what’s inside the bag – it could be garbage or something even more hazardous.
Ways to reuse plastic bags
Where possible, reuse the bags in your home. Plastic bags can be reused for several things, such as:
- Stuffing/padding for storing or mailing fragile items.
- Picking up pet waste. Donate bags to a local dog park or animal shelter if you don’t have pets.
- Small garbage can liners
Drop-off recycling options
Some groceries stores have bins near their entrances to recycle certain types of plastic bags, usually only single-use shopping bags.
Co-op Food Stores in Winnipeg, Stonewall, Gimli, and Portage la Prairie have plastic bag bins. Contact your local store to find out if they have a bin. Both London Drugs locations in Winnipeg also accept plastic bags for recycling.
When it comes to plastic bags, it’s important to remember the 3Rs – reduce your use of plastic bags, reuse the ones you already have, and recycle if options are available to you.
