Blue bag

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A blue bag is a blue colored, semi-transparent bag for waste, mandated for use in some localities for refuse or for certain specific types of refuse: the distinguishing color serves to assist in recycling programs. Typically, it would be used for glass, plastic or polyethelyne content.

[edit] Location Specific

[edit] Chicago Blue Bag Program

The City of Chicago has implemented a blue bag system. As it may be the case for all blue bag systems, it operates by requiring willing participants to purchase blue garbage bags (available at major grocery stores throughout the city) and depositing recyclable material in the bags. This may be paper-based (cardboard boxes, gift boxes, newspaper, etc.), plastic and glass, or yard/lawn refuse. A separate blue bag must be used for each of the three types of recyclable material.

The Chicago system of recycling has been criticized for its tediousness and inconvenience, as blue bags tend to be more expensive than cheap, normal grocery bags, and this system of recycling, compared to ones implemented in other cities and suburbs, requires a hefty amount of effort on the part of the consumer^{[citation needed]}. Nevertheless, Chicago's Blue Bag system has managed to divert approximately 25% of its waste to recycling facilities, which was its initial goal, within three years, and plans to continue to grow this success.

One of the benefits of the Chicago recycling system is that all garbage is screened for recyclables. In a typical curb-side or single stream system, the garbage cart is transferred directly to a landfill. In a Blue Bag program all the material is processed, not just what residents place in a recycle bin. Thus almost all aluminum cans, steel, and most newspaper is recycled whether or not is is placed in a blue bag.