BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Next time you are hauling out your cans and cardboard for pickup, remember: no bags in the bin!

That is the message from the Washington State Department of Ecology in their new “Recycle Right” initiative reminding people not to bag their recyclables.

Officials say that plastic bags are one of the largest sources of contamination in Washington’s residential recycling stream.

They can clog machinery, contaminate other materials, and lead to more recyclables ending up in the landfill.

A survey by the department found that 20% of residents put their recyclables in plastic bags before putting them in a curbside recycling bin.

You can drop off plastic bags to be recycled at a local Fred Meyer or the SSC’s Bellingham Recycling Center.