The Biggest Mistake New York Makes When Recycling

Every week when I go to the grocery I bring back my single-use plastic. Tops has a container, as do most grocery stores, where you can return plastic wrapping from food for it to be recycled. This past trip, I noticed that the lid now said "Film" plastic only. What did that mean?

It means that most of the single-use plastic I had been stuffing in that bin for the last two years was not really recyclable. I had been returning the plastic bakery boxes, along with bird seed and dog food bags, and none of those go in that container; they actually go in the trash. Who knew?

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I had no idea I was recycling wrong. For years now, I thought I was an above-average recycler, and now I realize I have been making some real rookie mistakes when it comes to sorting plastic. I am not sure where it went wrong, but I obviously missed some important information.

A Big Mistake You Might Make When Recycling in New York

All this time, I thought I understood the term single-use plastic. "Film Plastic" was something I hadn't heard before. I just figured if you use it once and it is made of plastic, it is single-use plastic. I didn't realize there were two types. Turns out there are two types, and one has to go in the trash while the other goes in the bin at the grocery.

What is Film Plastic, and Can It Be Recycled

Apparently, there is a stretchy film plastic and a crinkly film plastic. Turns out one can be recycled at your local grocery store, the other can not. The video below breaks it down really well, and just in time for America Recycles Day on November 15th, 2025. Stretchy plastic goes in the bin, and crinkly goes in the trash.