Each time you go shopping, the pile of plastic bags stored under the sink just continues to grow and you may just wonder as to how you'll get rid of them. But if you are a New Yorker having the same issue, then you needn't worry as the City Council recently passed a bill asking all large chains and retail stores to collect plastic bags given to shoppers and recycle them.

Ever since this bill was passed, New York has been considered to be the largest American city to take such a vast measure in order to limit the impact of these bags on the environment. Almost 86 billion plastic bags are used by the entire country every year, which ends up as wastes polluting the city streets, in landfills or in oceans. Apart from being a lethal threat to wildlife and sea creatures, these plastic bags tend to remain for a really long time in the environment as they are non-biodegradable.

Recycling Plastic Bags: Source of Anxiety

Almost one billion plastic bags are used by New Yorkers each year and they are considered to be an environmental anxiety. Since plastic bags are proving to be such a big source of environmental destruction, recycling has become a very important factor in the lives of New Yorkers.

Plastic bag manufacturers and retailers are completely supporting the bill, and stores are even providing residents with recycling bins to put the bags in them. The bill is applicable to stores, which are 5000 square feet or larger. Instead of providing shoppers with plastic bags, the retail stores are offering other bag alternatives as well.

Wholesale Reusable Bags Are the Viable Option Since Recycling

Shoppers are being offered reusable seed paper bags and reusable totes as alternatives for plastic bags. Since the recycling bins are placed at every store corner, the shoppers can deposit their plastic shopping bags in them for recycling. These bags can include even dry-cleaning bags with extendable plastic or cardboard bottomed plastic covers.

Shoppers can visit any store to put in the plastic bags fir recycling. The bins are later picked up by the Department of Sanitation, along with the other recyclable materials such as newspapers, bottles and cans. Once they are collected, they are either recycled into new plastic bags or made into other plastic materials, such as weatherproof decking.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/nyregion/10bags.html?ref=recyclingofwastematerials