Plastic Bags Go in the Grey Box
Remember, we belong together
While they may seem like an "odd couple",
plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap
are placed in the Grey Box.
Simply stuff all of your plastic bags and plastic stretchy outer-wrap into one bag, tie the top of the bag closed and toss it into your Grey Box. It is as simple as that!
Acceptable Plastic Bags / Outer Wrap
Place these items in the Grey Box:
- Bread bags
- Dry cleaning bags
- Electronic wrap (clear)
- Furniture wrap (clear)
- Grocery / retail bags (plastic)
- Milk bags (emptied and rinsed)
- Newspaper bags
- Food storage bags (such as Ziploc bags)
- Outer wrap from pop cases, toilet tissue, paper towels (remove cardboard from outer wrap and place in the Grey Box)
- Produce bags
- More grey box items
Place these items in the Garbage:
- Bio-degradable bags
- Bubble wrap
- Cereal liners / cracker bags
- Chip bags
- Cookie bags
- Juice pouches
- Laminated or wax coated paper bags (such as cat and dog food bags)
- Re-sealable frozen fruit pouches
- Wrappers (such as chocolate bar, candy, granola bar and gum)
- Woven plastic bags (such as onion, seed and feed bags)
- More garbage items
Why the Grey Box?
Clean plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap can be recycled and sold, creating revenue for the Region and helping to keep taxes down.
When plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap are placed in the Blue Box, along with partially emptied food and drink containers, they can become contaminated, lowering the value of the recyclable materials.
Purchase (or replace) a Grey/Blue Box
Loose Plastic Bags Can Disrupt Machinery
Loose plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap can jam up machinery at the regional recycling facility causing shut downs and repairs. Those pieces that do get through have to be manually sorted, which is a time consuming and costly process.
In total, the improper recycling of plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap costs Niagara Region taxpayers $85,000 annually. That is equivalent to the regional tax bill of 55 homes.
Stuff, Tie and Toss your Plastic Bags and Stretchy Plastic Outer-wrap into the Grey Box
The correct method to recycle your plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap is as follows:
- Step 1: Stuff all of your plastic bags and stretchy plastic outer-wrap into one bag
- Step 2: Tie the top of the bag closed
- Step 3: Toss it into your Grey Box
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