Discussions

What are they doing with the bags? or where is going the money we paid for bags in all stores? If I can't discard bags in recycled containers...

Every city has different recycling items they accept, brandon does not accept the plastic grocery bags unfortunately.

I save all my bags up. Once a year our school does a bag collection as part of a recycling contest. Win-win for everyone. My local daycare also takes bag donations to send wet cloths home in, etc. They are never wasted.

MCC Thrift shop appreciates the donation of shopping bags. They reuse them for their customers purchases.

I use my for garbage bags in my bathroom or car..... if I’m paying for them then I’m using them! I’ve been trying to remember taking my own bags lately

It depends on who you are referring to.  
 
Consumer, Grocery Stores, City Recycling?  
 
As a consumer, I try to eliminate most plastic bags by taking re-useable fabric bags, but if I have any wayward plastic bags, they go to second-hand shops like Nearly New Shop on 9th, MCC on Pacific, Super Thrift on 7th Street or any local charities that will accept them. Many do and like to receive them if people are getting rid of them,  
 
I am not sure what the grocery stores do with them, but there is a local bunch of nice volunteers at St. Augustine Church in Brandon who crochet sleeping mats out of them for the homeless and they get many bags from local grocery stores. The Brandon Sun had an article on this linked here:  
https://www.brandonsun.com/local/group-turns-plastic-bags-into-mats-for-homeless-503832632.html  
 
Edited by Kellye, 2019-01-16 21:42:46

We buy store bags to shop or buy reuseable ones to bring to shop. Then have no bags for home garbages (bathrooms, cars, etc.) or other carrying purposes and end up buying bags from the store which are usually thick, seemingly less environmentally friendly and expensive. Some stores give money, cents back, when bring in own bags. Maybe just giant tiger now? Superstore quit a year or two ago. I don't have bags to recylcle now that stores make us buy them but there are bins in many stores to bring them to. They are not supposed to go in our home recycling unless that changed.

Many recycling companies, including the one Brandon uses have a automated sorter they use for recycling. Bags get tangles up in it, causing a slow down, and needing physical intervention to clear up. Slower, and more manpower means more money.  
 
Many grocery stores accept them for recycling (as all there is in this recycling is bags, no sorter needed). As well, Shoppers mall has an annual bag recycling event.

I suppose the money we pay is for a post plan with the bags... I try to reuse with the garbage but I need to pay extra buying a garbage bags!

COR Enterprises makes crafts out of them and are alway looking