How can I reuse or recycle bread bags?
I can’t believe we’ve not featured this already. We’ve covered stale bread, bread bag tags, how to make a bread bin recycling old stuff, and what to do with an old bread machine pan but not the bags that pre-sliced loaves come in.
Most pre-wrapped loaves (in the UK at least) come in LDPE bags – low-density polyethylene, ie, plastic number 4. They can be doorstep recycled in some places (check your local guidelines) and can be included with carrier bags at some collection spots.
But how can they be reused first? The most simple reuse is, of course, as a sandwich bag – but anything more interesting or creative?
(Photo by Richard George)
I’ve cut them up into strips and crocheted them into a string bag.
Hi I really love that idea, do you make them to sell by any chance as I’d be interested in having one.
My email address is flhdaniels@gmail.com if you would be interested in making more, also I could send you our bread bags if you would like.
Kind Regards
I know you’re really looking for more reuse ideas but just to note that in addition to doorstep recycling, Tescos and other supermarkets do collection of these in their foyers and via their delivery vans.
We like reuses but we like recycling advice too – thanks Simon :)
I keep half the loaf in the bag in my fridge, and use another one to freeze the other half of the loaf in. Avoids wasting bread as I live on my own and don’t get through a whole loaf in time otherwise.
http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html
LDPE fuses nicely into a plastic “fabric” for all sorts of uses. Mom even made a marker/crayon roll with a fused plastic sheet and her mini iron!
Slightly ghetto, but sometimes when you’re packing a lunch and use the last slice in the bag, you can use the bag as a sandwich baggie. =P
Not ghetto at all awesome idea saves a little money on sandwich wrap.
I use them for picking up my dogs poop.
I have 4 cats that come in at night because of coyotes and so they have a, ugh, litter box. I use the bags for the scooped litter. I also use the bags for storing chicken scraps in the fridge for my chickens. They are very useful for all sorts of reuses.
Ruby Re-Usable makes ART with plastic bread bags: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubyreusable/sets/72157605981763242/
these are all made using Wonder Bread plastic bags (my sons eat the bread, and I save the bags to make sculptures; they are stuffed with used bubble wrap from downtown businesses)
I’ve used them to store chicken carcasses until I’m ready to make broth
I just managed to re-use a bread bag four times before it went in the bin. See here: http://tomthebadger.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/re-use-record/
:o)