WHO KNEW that plastic bags could be recycled at the Lebanon Recycling Center ?

Since the end of July, 2023, the Lebanon landfill has accepted plastic grocery bags for recycling. The landfill gathers the single-use symbols of human pollution, and its partner Trex, a Virginia-based company, retrieves them and turns them into decking materials that are an alternative to wood.

In addition to grocery and produce bags, the plastics accepted at the landfill also include cereal box liners and bubble wrap, newspaper sleeves, bread bags, plastic stretch wrap, plastic mailers with compatible labels, plastic that wraps around paper products (paper towels, diapers, etc), and food storage bags.

“The test is: If you can stick your finger in it and the plastic stretches, they’ll take it,” said Erica Douglas, Lebanon’s solid waste manager. The landfill just asks that the plastic is brought in clean and dry. Cut off paper labels, if any.

What happens after it’s collected?

After collection, the flexible plastic is baled and sold to independent companies. Then begins the process of turning these PE films into tiny plastic pellets. These pellets can become synthetic lumber for decking or park benches, or they might be recycled directly into another film, pouch, or bag form.

Use of the Lebanon Recycling Center is free and open to all.

Several local grocery stores also accept plastic grocery bags - e.g. Hannafords, West Lebanon, where the bin is located in the store’s entry way.