Ever wonder why you can't put plastic shopping bags in your curbside recycling bin? Yes, they are recyclable in bins you often find outside your supermarket. But the reality is it's not the recyclability of the bags that's the problem: The bags can literally shut down a recycling plant. Since the bags are so light and flexible, they can wrap around sorting equipment and stop it. And since bags are so thin, they often get shredded and accidentally added to bales of recyclable paper, which contaminates the entire load. So don't take the risk and toss plastic bags into your recycling bin. When you recycle them in bins at the store, they are specially handled, bundled and properly recycled in a facility where they won't become a nuisance.
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