Many people commonly reuse plastic bags for a variety of purposes around the house and on the go, extending their lifespan before disposal.
According to surveys, a significant majority of Americans choose to reuse their plastic bags at least once. Common ways people give plastic bags a second life include:
Popular Ways to Reuse Plastic Bags
- Lining Trash Cans: This is one of the most widespread reuse methods. Plastic grocery bags are often the perfect size for small bins found in bathrooms, bedrooms, or offices. Research from Recyc-Quebec, a Canadian government agency, indicated that plastic bags have a 77.7% reuse rate specifically as small trashcan liners.
- Packing Lunches: Bags can be used to carry or separate food items within a lunchbox or as a quick way to pack a simple lunch for a short trip.
- Picking up After Pets: A very practical and hygienic use is collecting pet waste during walks.
- Carrying Items: Reuse them to carry groceries, store items, or transport goods for various purposes.
- Storage: Use bags to store items like rags, cleaning supplies, or small miscellaneous objects.
Reusing plastic bags helps reduce the demand for new bags and delays them from entering the waste stream.
