You’ve finished a box of cereal and now you’re left with the plastic bag from inside the box. Most people know to recycle the cardboard box, but what about the bag?
The good news: cereal bags can be recycled through plastic film recycling programs. Here’s what you need to know before dropping them off.
Can You Recycle Cereal Bags?
Yes – but not in your standard curbside bin.
The plastic bag inside many cereal boxes is made from polyethylene (PE) film, which is accepted by many plastic film recycling programs. However, these bags are generally not accepted for curbside recycling. Tossing your cereal bag in the blue bin can actually mess up the recycling process for all the other items that can be recycled this way.
How Do You Recycle It?
- Store Drop-off: Many grocery stores (think Target, Walmart, Kroger, and even your local chain) have bins for plastic film recycling.
- Municipal Depot: Some municipalities have their own managed locations that residents can take their films to directly.
- Subscription Services: Some companies, like Ridwell, offer doorstep pickup or mail-in for plastic film.
- Specialty Curbside Recycling: Some communities do offer a specific curbside film recycling program, like Hefty ReNew™, allow consumers to fill designated receptacles and leave outside their home for pickup, like standard curbside recycling.
Find out what film recycling options are available for you, including your closest Store Drop-off using our Map Tool.
Prep Before You Drop
- Empty the Bag Completely: Shake out any remaining cereal crumbs before recycling. Food residue can contaminate recyclable materials.
- Keep It Clean and Dry: While we’d expect this to be the natural state of your cereal bag to be dry, just a reminder to make sure it doesn’t get wet, or if it does to dry it off before dropping off for recycling.
- Bundle Your Film: Cereal bags can be recycled with other flexible films. No matter how you’re recycling your film, it’s most efficient to gather a lot of items together. You can do this in a plastic shopping bag or your designated film recycling receptacle. Recycling in bulk not only saves time but also supports better recycling practices.
What Happens to Recycled Cereal Bags?
When processed through film recycling programs, these flexible plastics are given a second life as useful products, including:
- Composite Decking & Lumber: Construction materials are one of the most common end markets for recycled films.
- Garbage Bags & Liners: Many trash bags and can liners are made with recycled film content.
- Product Overwrap: The clear plastic wrap you see around cases of water bottles, paper towels, or other bulk items often contains recycled film.
- Other Uses: Recycled film can also be used in playground equipment, park benches, and even new plastic bags.
A Quick Note About Cereal Bags
Often, you’ll hear flexible films described as “stretchy” when pulled. While that is the general rule to determine if something is considered a flexible film, not all PE film behaves in this way – like cereal bags.
When in doubt, check locally recycling guidance or us the Plastic Film Recycling Directory to confirm what’s accepted.
