During a brief exchange at the Jan. 2 North Port City Commission meeting, city staff and attendees discussed proper disposal of plastic grocery bags and curbside recycling rules.

A staff member said, “plastic bags are not recyclable. I find them just tossed in the container, or they bag the recycle bin,” and said plastic bags should be returned to grocery stores or placed in the trash. The staff member and another speaker noted that plastic bags are ending up inside blue-lid recycling containers and urged residents to consult the city’s solid-waste guidance at www.northportflorida.gov/solidwaste.

City staff described the blue-lid container as the curbside recycling bin; they emphasized that plastic film and loose plastic bags are not accepted in the curbside stream and can cause contamination at sorting facilities. No formal action or vote was taken on the item; the exchange was informational and directed residents to the city’s web guidance for more details.

Clarifying details recorded at the meeting state that plastic bags “are not recyclable” in the curbside program and that accepted options are: return bags to grocery retailers offering film-plastic drop-off, or dispose of them in the trash. The city website was provided as the reference for the full list of acceptable materials.