Five Ways to Live Without Plastic Bags
1. Use Reusable Shopping Bags

By law, large grocery stores and pharmacies are now required to offer reusable bags for sale to customers. Reusable bags are more environmentally friendly than paper or plastic.

2. Refuse a Plastic Bag

When at the store, cashiers want to keep lines moving and often don't ask if you need a bag or what kind of bag you do want. When this happens, kindly hand the bag back and explain why you don't want it.

3. Recycle Them

Bring your plastic shopping bags back to large supermarkets or pharmacies for recycling: as part of CAW-sponsored AB 2449, effective July 1, 2007, large grocers must offer free recycling of plastic grocery bags. The drop-off containers are usually placed near the entrances of the stores. Also, make sure to only drop off clean bags. In the City of Manhattan Beach, you may also put your plastic grocery bags in your blue recycling container!

4. Reuse Them

Most plastic bags can be reused as garbage can liners or doggie litter collectors. However, there are many other ways to reuse plastic bags, from use as packing material, use as a non-stick surface for rolling dough or even as a fun arts and craft project.

5. Get Stores to Offer Cash Credits When Bringing In Your Own Bags

Suggest that your store offers a credit when you bring in reusable bags.

Find out more about plastic bag recycling!  Most plastic bags are recycled into composite lumber but can also be reprocessed into small pellets, or post consumer resin, which can become feed stock for a variety of products such as new bags, pallets, containers, crates, and pipe. 

As a resident or business owner in Manhattan Beach, you are entitled to FREE recycling! To order recycling containers, please contact Waste Management at (310) 830-7100.