Council Secures Refund After Faulty Recycling Bags Fall Apart

North Somerset Council has successfully secured a refund from the supplier of thousands of red recycling bags that began to disintegrate shortly after being distributed to households.

Following a successful trial in late 2024, the council rolled out new red recycling bags to every household in North Somerset to encourage recycling of plastics and metals. While the initial batch of bags distributed to around 6,000 households was well received and showed no quality issues, the subsequent batch ordered for the wider rollout starting March 2025 began to degrade rapidly. Residents reported that the bags were turning white and literally crumbling at the seams after exposure to sunlight.

Annemieke Waite, the council cabinet member responsible for waste management, confirmed in a recent online Q&A that after extensive negotiations, the supplier has agreed to fully refund the cost of the faulty bags. Waite remarked, “It’s a very good outcome for us, which means they have completely accepted they were at fault and all the bags will be repaid to us.”

The council emphasized that bags from the original trial batch have maintained their quality without fading or breaking down, indicating the problem lies solely with the second batch of bags. Residents experiencing issues with their red bags can request replacements via the council’s website. However, the replacement bags are from the same problematic batch, and the council advises storing bags away from direct sunlight to delay deterioration.

For bags that are still intact or only slightly faded, residents are encouraged to continue using them. Those bags that are damaged beyond use should be disposed of in the black bin for the regular three-weekly collection.

This resolution highlights the importance of product quality in council recycling initiatives and the council’s commitment to addressing issues promptly to support sustainable recycling efforts.