Plastic Grocery Bags Recycling With These 21 Tips

In the average household, you are bound to come across plastic grocery bags being used for several reasons. The same creative ways to recycle plastic bags (know more) apply to the local supermarket, grocery shop, etc. These recycled plastic bags are now a part of our daily lives seeing as they make it a lot easier to store and pack items.

Aren’t Plastic Grocery Bags Dangerous for the Environment?

Although we have to think about plastic bags pollution, and the effect this has on the environment, there are still sustainable ways of utilizing it. One of those sustainable methods happens to be the reuse of this plastic bag. Instead of tossing them out and causing harm to the environment when the original purpose has been served, it will pay you better to think of other creative ways to recycle plastic bags.

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We have listed some of them below:

What are the Ways to Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags?

Do double duty

When it comes to plastic grocery bags, there is no denying the fact that the primary purpose is to aid in the packaging and easy carrying of groceries. Since that is the case, an environmentally friendly decision you can make is to continue using them for that purpose.

Once you are done offloading groceries from your car to your house, place the plastic grocery bags within the vehicle and ensure you use it for your next trip to the store. Most stores utilize good quality bags when packaging your shopping, so the pack should last for a few trips.

However, once the bag can no longer serve its purpose, endeavor to dispose of it in an eco-friendly manner.

Keep it for emergency

Apart from further trips to the grocery store, you can still keep the plastic grocery bags in your car for other purposes.  You can choose to place them in the rear boot or stuff them in the glove compartment. You also do not have to worry about them taking up space as they are light and can easily be bunched up.

When you need them to clean up car waste, reach into the location you stored it and used it for that. The presence of a plastic bag in your car prevents the average accumulation of garbage and junk in it as a better alternative exists.

Use plastic grocery bags as trash can liners

The same way we talk about plastic bags pollution is the same way we should focus on keeping the environment generally clean. Dirt and litter are things that can quickly accumulate if care is not taken. As a result, most homes are bound to have trash cans in strategic locations.

However, have you ever taken a look at a trash can and seen how dirty it has become due to the waste that is thrown inside? Trash can liners can prove useful in controlling this. Instead of buying trash bags, you can make use of your plastic bags.

All you have to do is stuff the plastic bag into the tap of the can and then ensure you drag it down till it touches the bottom. This saves you a lot of money in terms of purchasing additional trash bags.

To clean up after your pet

Another way to reuse plastic grocery bags is by keeping it handy to clean up after your pet. If you have a new pet that is fond of leaving their poop around the house or backyard, having a plastic bag on the ground to deal with this is a wise option. With a plastic bag, you can keep your hands clean while you take care of the business left for you by your cat or dog.

You are cleaning up after your pet does not only have to be within the house area. It cannot also happen when you take them outside for a walk. You do not want to pollute the environment for other humans by leaving your pet’s poop lying around. Therefore, having a plastic bag on you should prove useful.

Make a donation

Not everyone has the privilege to get a plastic bag after concluding their shopping. Places like flea markets and the local thrift stores do not make unique plastic bags to help customers package their purchases. Donating your stash of plastic bags to them is an effective way of recycling.

For them, it saves money on having to purchase new ones. However, before you go rushing to donate all your unwanted plastic bags, ensure you ask if they want it. Some of them might be conscious of their health effects.

For laundry

Most times when we travel, doing laundry is not always convenient especially if you are in a hotel or remote environment where facilities aren’t readily available for you to personally use. If that is the case, you can always store the used and dirty clothing in a different compartment of your traveling trunk. Or, you can choose to have them tied in a plastic bag thereby separating them from the clean ones.

Use plastic grocery bags to line litter bins

Back on the issue of preventing plastic bags pollution, an alternative that exists for you is to use it for activities you do not find savory. One of such incidences happens to be the cleaning of a litter box. A plastic bag can help you minimize your role in cleaning one.

All you have to do is line the plastic bag around the edges of the litter box. When it is time to clean up, all you need do is tie the plastic bag and dispose of the litter. You can then replace the old plastic bag with a new one, and the cycle continues.

Use as packing material

The original purpose of plastic grocery bags was to aid in packing. Therefore, if you find yourself moving from one location to the other to explore, you can make use of the plastic grocery bags to wrap up and protect the souvenirs you purchase. From fragile items to sensitive items, the details can be wrapped gently in separate containers to preserve them.

To toss soiled diapers

Ever come across a stinky diaper belonging to a toddler? Then you must know how unpleasant it is to deal with. Once you take the diaper off the toddler, you cannot just throw it in the trash like that.

Plastic grocery bags can be used to tie up the used diaper before carefully disposing of it. Doing it this way prevents the attracting of flies or naughty rodents.

Recycle plastic bags as container sealers

Have you ever bought an item and placed it in your bag only to open it and see most of the contents staining the inside of it? Well, that is the case for most people. As air-tight as some containers claim to be, these incidents are bound to occur.

One of the creative ways to recycle plastic bags is by using it as a sealer. Open the container which contains the liquid or solid, then place it like a tarp over the mouth before sealing it with the cover. Doing this creates a double seal and prevents the contents from leaking out.

For gardening

If you have a garden or tree around your house, this means you will have a lot of loose leaves and weeds to deal with. When you are out gardening, stuff a few of these leaves into your pockets. Pull them out if you need to take care of those unwanted weeds and debris lying around before disposing of them.

Pair with a vacuum cleaner

Some vacuum cleaners have bags while others are bagless. Depending on the size of your property, you may need to empty the contents of the vacuum cleaner time and time again before you are done covering all the areas. You can make use of a plastic bag as the container for the vacuum contents.

Recycle plastic bags to protect your shoes

Some shoes are seasonal. You cannot wear tennis shoes during the winter as this exposes them to water which can damage them. During periods such as this, one of the creative ways to recycle plastic bags is by using them to protect shoes that are not being worn for the moment.

Stuffing a plastic bag inside a shoe can also prevent it from losing its shape.

For a beach visit

When you go to a beach, two things are certain either get wet or have sand all over you. Neither of these things is fun in the long run. Wet clothing can cause a cold while sandy dress can make you itch.

Therefore, when you go to the beach, ensure you have a plastic bag with you to place your soiled clothing in. You can then change into a new set.  Storing your soiled clothes is not the only way to use a plastic bag on the beach. Seeing as we are concerned about plastic bags pollution, another use of it on the beach is to store litter and trash.

Instead of polluting the beach, all your trash should be saved in the plastic grocery bags then disposed of properly.

To protect the floor under your plunger

Plungers are one of those things you want to have in your home especially when you are dealing with a blocked sink or toilet. But, have you thought about the stains it is likely to leave on your floor?

Place a plastic bag on the spot where you want to place your plunger then place the plunger on it.

With the lawnmower

Let’s face it, when you are mowing a lawn, you are likely to come across 90% grass and 10% debris. You cannot just harvest away stones or pieces of paper the way you do for the lawn. Therefore, in such a case, you need creative ways to recycle plastic bags.

The plastic bag can be placed on the handle of the mower. When you come across an item that is different from grass, you can put it in the plastic bag.

For car maintenance

The chances of you having all the necessary tools needed to maintain your car are unlikely. Such is the case for gloves. If you are doing an oil change, your fingers might get stained.

So, a good alternative is to wrap your hand with a plastic bag and carry out the activity. Once you are done, you can remove the plastic bag with your fingers not suffering anything.

As a makeshift icepack

Ever hurt your hand or had a banging headache. Having a cold compress helps relieve the ache. What happens when you do not have an ice bag? You can make a substitute.

Another creative way to recycle plastic bags is by using it as an emergency pack for ice or a compress. Just place the ice within it, tie it and apply to the affected area.

For stuffing for arts and crafts

Another way to reuse plastic grocery bags by substituting them for stuffing in crafts projects. If your little one needs to create something for their school project, plastic bags are a good alternative.

Use plastic grocery bags as paint guards

When painting an area, it is essential to prevent splashes of paints from ending up on things such as the furniture and the floor. One of the ways to avoid this is by placing protective covering those areas. You can choose to use a cardboard or a plastic bag.  Since plastic bags are readily available, they are a good option.

To prevent injuries from getting wet

Ever wanted a full-body bath but a doctor’s warning not to get an injury wet prevented you? You can eat your cake and have it thanks to the existence of the plastic grocery bag. All you have to do is tie the bag around the affected wound and carry on with whatever activity you want.

If you want to get quotes of custom plastic grocery bags, please feel free to contact Zigpac right away.