From the standpoint of someone who works ballz deep in the recycling industry, I'm going to have to vote for using plastic containers instead of bags. Film plastic is often more difficult to recycle simply because the outlets for it are far less common than those for #1 PETE and #2 HDPE containers. In the American waste stream, #1 and #2 plastics are the most commonly discarded plastics from homes and many businesses, simply because of the amount of drink containers that we use all of the time.
As much as I love li'l plastic coke baggies to give samples out to friends and family - especially when I show 'em my scale and capper - I still prefer to use and reuse the bottles and tubs. When I'm done, I just take 'em into work to recycle them, adding to our yearly tonnage, resulting in a better performance grant from the PA DEP, and ultimately helping me to keep my job.
Plastic tubs = Tim's paycheck
:trout: