Takoma Park halts plastic bag recycling

Takoma Park was recently informed that as of July 1, plastic bags are no longer accepted at the recyclables processing facility used by the city. Residents may no longer include plastic bags or plastic film in curbside recycling bins. The ban includes grocery bags, newspaper bags, vegetable bags, bread bags, dry cleaning bags and all plastic film.

At the Prince George’s County Processing Facility, where Takoma Park’s recyclables go, plastic bags and film have been damaging the equipment used to sort and bale the recyclables, jamming and clogging the machinery. Also, the plastic collected from local homes is frequently dirty and contaminated with bits of broken glass and other materials, reducing the quality and value to manufacturers who use and purchase plastic film.

Plastic bags can still be recycled at many grocery stores in the area; recycling points are usually located near the entrance of the establishments. Participating stores accept clean, dry plastic bags and can market these because they are uncontaminated with other materials. The best option, though, is to use reusable bags or totes when shopping, or ask for paper bags instead of plastic, where available.

For more information about what can be recycled in Takoma Park, go to www.takomaparkmd.gov.

This article appeared in the July 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.