Preparation: 

• Remove all food residue (shake out crumbs), strings or rigid, plastic handles. 
• Bags must be clean and dry.

Do not recycle these items: 

• Bags with strings or rigid plastic handles (or cut them off) 
• Bubble wrap
• Items with food residue 
• Rigid plastic containers or bottles 
• Soil or mulch bags 
• Trash bags, including lawn and leaf bags 
• Zipper type bags

Why Recycle plastic bags?
Because it provides a valuable feedstock to manufacture plastic lumber. 

• Trex Company recycles approximately 1.3 billion recycled plastic bags each year.  About half of all recycled grocery bags are used to manufacture Trex® decking. 
• Each Trex®  decking board (16 feet long, 2 x 6 inches) uses approximately 2,250 plastic bags.

What are plastic bags made into?
Plastic bags collected through the “It’s in the Bag” program are sorted in the metro area, baled, then sent to the Trex Company in Winchester, Virginia.  Trex®  processes the bags to create plastic lumber used in backyard patios and decks.  Trex® decking and railing is made from approximately 50 percent recycled plastic film and 50 percent reclaimed wood waste, from used wooden pallets, woodworking operations and other materials that would otherwise go to a landfill.

Anoka County staff obtained information for this resource by researching various directories, along with telephone verification. It is not an endorsement of the businesses listed, nor does it imply that the businesses are in compliance with applicable laws. Any omissions or inaccuracies are unintentional. For additional listings, we recommend the local telephone directory. ALWAYS CALL FIRST TO VERIFY INFORMATION BECAUSE POLICIES FREQUENTLY CHANGE.
 
This resource is intended for households only. The information does not pertain to wastes from businesses or organizations.

 
For more information about a location, including a list of all materials accepted at the location, click on the name.