Single-Use Plastic Bags
How to properly dispose of plastic bags
Plastic Bag Drop-off Locations
Single-use plastic bags are recyclable, but not in your blue bin. Some grocers have bins near their main entrances to recycle plastic bags. Select a community below to find a location near you. Please contact us if a location in your community that accepts plastic bags isn’t listed.
Brandon
Safeway Corral Centre
921 18 Street North | (204) 726-8014
Gimli
Red River Co-op
55 Centre Street | (204) 642-7447
Stonewall
Red River Co-op
420 Main Street | (204) 467-8469
Stonewall Family Foods
330 3rd Avenue S | (204) 467-5553
Winnipeg
Red River Co-op
- 755 Sterling Lyon Parkway
- 3477 Pembina Highway
- 1120 Grant Avenue
- 77 Vermillion Road
- 850 Dakota Street
London Drugs
1225 St. Mary’s Rd (St. Vital Centre)
Safeway Marion and Braemar
285 Marion at Braemar
(204) 237-6824
Save on Foods
- 1555 Regent Avenue W Unit 5
(204) 661-8780 - 400 North Town Road Unit 410
(204) 452-0241 - 1399 McPhillips Street
(204) 334-1012
Other Communities
Contact local retailers to find out if they accept plastic bags for recycling.
Alternatively, check with local charities or non-profits that may take plastic bags to reuse, such as thrift stores, animal shelters, and dog parks.
Note: Because many retailers no longer offer single-use grocery bags, some may stop accepting them for recycling. Please call stores to confirm before taking your bags.
Recycle at a retailer:
- Single-use plastic grocery bags
- Plastic bread and produce bags
More Information
Why can’t plastic bags go in your blue bin?
Once collected, your recycling gets sorted into different material categories. This process is mostly automated and involves a lot of fast-moving machinery and conveyor belts. Plastic bags easily get tangled and jam up the moving parts.
If a bag makes its way into the machinery, the entire sorting line shuts down until staff remove it.
What about clear/blue “recycling” bags?
Some rural communities that don’t use blue bins or carts for collection are permitted to bag their recycling in clear bags. Winnipeg, Brandon, and most communities that use recycling carts do not allow bagged recycling because bags significantly complicate the sorting process and can be a safety hazards.
Sorting staff would need to manually remove, empty, and dispose of the bags before reaching the sorting line. This wouldn’t be feasible with the amount of recycling they process, and it would pose safety risks.
The only exception to this rule is that shredded paper must be bagged in a clear bag. This is necessary to contain the pieces during transportation and prevents them from mixing with other materials.
Please contact your local public works department to learn how to properly prepare your recycling for collection.
Can you recycle reusable grocery bags?
Reusable grocery bags aren’t accepted for recycling in your blue bin or at the retail locations listed above. Here are some options to keep them out of the landfill:
Donate
Food banks, thrift stores, and other charities often need bags. Check with organizations in your community to find options near you.
Walmart’s Blue Bag Recycling Program
You can send Walmart’s blue reusable grocery bags back for free through their program with Terracycle. Learn more here.
Ways to reduce and reuse plastic bags
Remember to bring a reusable bag with you when you’re shopping. Say no when a retailer offers you a bag if you can carry your purchase without one.
Where possible, reuse the bags in your home. Here are some ideas:
- Picking up pet wastes
- Garbage can liners
- Stuffing/packing material
When it comes to plastic bags, it’s important to remember the 3Rs— reduce your use of plastic bags, reuse the ones you already have, and recycle those that can’t be reused.