We’re excited to simplify recycling for residents and introduce a single collection category for Flexible Plastics, which are collected at participating depots only. This new category will replace two former categories of Plastic Bags and Overwrap and Other Flexible Plastic Packaging.
This change is possible because, after considerable research and development work over the past five years, these two material categories are now processed and managed in the same way. Our plastics end market is now producing a recycled plastic pellet from the other flexible plastic packaging collected. This recycled commodity is a pellet made by combining higher and lower quality plastics that turn it into a usable feedstock for new product manufacturing.
Previously, other flexible plastic packaging, used for research and development to determine how best to recycle this material at scale, was recovered into engineered fuel. Being able to recycle other flexible plastic packaging is a step up the Pollution Prevention Hierarchy, moving the end fate from recovery to recycling.
With this change, squishy cushion packaging (polyethylene foam) not formerly accepted, can now also be included with this collection category as it is compatible with the same recycling process.
See all the items accepted with Flexible Plastics at your local depot!
Learn more about the recycling process.