Plastic Bag Recycling

ReStore is Rhode Island's plastic bag recycling program. RI was the first state in the nation to provide comprehensive plastic bag recycling, starting in 2005. Plastic bags are NOT to be placed in your recycling bin. You can find recycling containers for them in most RI supermarkets, big-box retailers, and pharmacies. And don't worry about separating your bags to return them to their original store-there's no need. Just bring all of your plastic bags, regardless of where they came from, to any ReStore container.

Which plastic bags and films are recyclable?

With the exception of Saran wrap (which is made of PVC, and is NOT accepted), two good rules of thumb for determining which materials are accepted in the ReStore Program are (1) it should stretch, at least a little (try this with your thumb) and (2) it should also be clear, or light/translucent.

The following are major examples of what is accepted in ReStore containers. These need to be clean and dry:

• Shopping bags
• Dry cleaning bags
• Newspaper bags
• Bread/bagel bags
• Produce bags
• Mattress bags
• Shrink wrap from cases of beverages
• Electronic overwrap
• Paper towel and toilet paper overwrap
• Airpacks (from shipped packages)
• Bubble wrap
• Pellet/Firewood bags

Thicker, industrial bags and wraps:

Any thick, non-stretchy, and even opaque industrial-type bags or wraps are accepted for recycling in dedicated loads at Full Circle Recycling, 23 Green Hill Rd., Johnston. Call (401) 464-5996 for details.