scrap yard asks if i want my plastic bags back

Some yards here ask if you want your plastic bags back that you brought your alum cans or plastic water bottles in. I have always said no do they think I am homeless... but if I have someone behind me and they ask me I ask that person if they need the bags, they could be homeless and bags do have a cost.

I sometimes ask the customer if they want their bag back when doing a hand count of the redeemable bottles. It's partly a respect thing. Sometimes it's obvious that they reuse them ... especially if it's one of the large contractor bags. The guys that pick up bottles and cans on the side of the road like that kind because they're sturdy. Last time i priced them ... they were about 75 cents each.

I like to re-use the contractor bags in my shop if they're clean and dry. It helps keep operating costs down when disposing of plastic waste.

The other nice ones that i've run across are the larger clear plastic bags that our bags of ice are delivered in. They're a perfect fit for a 5 gallon pail. Fill the bucket with 20 lbs of scrap copper, brass or whatever and pull the whole works out. Twist tie the bag and you're all set for the small scale. You already know what you've got. When it adds up to exactly 20 lbs per bag ... the small scale guy knows too.