US Plastic Bag Recycling Plan Is an Epic Fail

The plan to recycle plastic bags in the United States, which was implemented in more than 18,000 store drop-off locations around the country, including Walmart and Target locations, has turned into an epic fail. The project was part of a wider initiative to repurpose the bags. However, the plan did not go as scheduled.

BagandFilmRecycling.org previously directed the public to drop-off locations around the country. Currently, visitors to the website are greeted with a message informing them that this resource is no longer available.

The reason? Bags and film were not properly being recycled. Over 40% ended up in landfills, ABC News reported in May.

During its investigation, ABC News hid tracking devices in recycled plastics and found that most of the trash ended up in landfills. Reportedly, only four of ABC’s 46 trackers pinged from U.S. facilities that are involved with recycling plastic bags.

Plastics are a significant contributor to the current climate crisis. As they are made from oil and gas, the materials are set to drive nearly half of the growth in oil demand by 2050, according to the U.S. International Energy Agency.

The biggest hurdle with recycling is that plastic materials are expensive to collect and sort properly. Many recycled items cannot be melted down together. For example, bottles dyed blue or green cannot be processed with clear bottles made out of the same type of plastic. Few facilities have the capacity or staffing to sort through the many different kinds of materials that must be processed.

The Drop-Of Directory site now directs users to the NexTrex website. There, users can find a list of retail chains to bring their plastics to get recycled. The Trex Company, which runs the NexTrex program, purchases baled plastic film and processes it into composite decking. 

Starting Jan. 1, 2024, Colorado grocery stores will join Washington State, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Vermont by no longer providing plastic bags to customers. The plastic bags are being replaced by recycled paper bags that stores can offer for a dime, reports KJCT8.

Grocery stores and restaurants that do not comply with these new rules can face penalties. Specifically, a $500 penalty for the first two offenses and a $1,000 fine for subsequent offenses. This ruling aims to help stores reduce plastic waste and promote more sustainable commercial practices.