The big game is right around the corner – The PUPPY BOWL! (Speaking of which, fun fact! Last year, 9 of the pups came straight from Pennsylvania SPCA shelters!)  (Oh, and that other game for those football fans.) With Puppybowl and Superbowl translates into dips, appetizers and parties! And with all those dips come chips! Herr’s, Lays, Sun, Tortilla, and many other chips! Oh, chip heaven is on the way for me!

But now the green question… Can you recycle those chip bags?

The bad news is that chip bags cannot go into your single stream recycle bin, since most chip bags are made from aluminum laminated with polypropylene, also known as metalized polypropylene, or low-density polyethylene film. This basically means it’s a hot plastic and aluminum hybrid mess.

The good news is that companies are taking notice and incorporating eco-friendly tactics at the end of their product’s lives. Frito-Lay paired up with Terracycle to upcycle used chip bags to avoid a destination of the landfill. Instead, chip bags are remade into products like clipboards, tote bag or trash cans. Just collect the Frito-Lay bags and send them to Terracycle – details fully here! Plus, Frito-Lay will donate $.01 cents per bag collected to a school or nonprofit chosen by each Chip Bag Brigade!

As of 2010, Frito Lay already diverted 2 million bags form landfills. (Their products include Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and Fritos – obviously the 4 essential food groups!)

Participating in the TerraCycle Chip Bag Bridgade is totally free. You just have to collect bags, download a pre-paid shipping label and ship the box to TerraCycle. You can also participate in the reuse of the bag’s second lives and purchase the products. Who wouldn’t want this sexy Lay’s Messenger bag?

Otherwise, you can try to store other dry foods in the chip bags or wrap foods in the bags.

Readers, do you have any ideas to reuse or recycle used chip bags?

Photo: Triple Pundit

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher