North Somerset residents can now recycle crisp packets and other soft plastics directly with their kerbside collection.
North Somerset Council has become one of the first in the UK to introduce district-wide collection of soft plastic recycling. Starting Monday, June 9, households can place soft plastics such as plastic bags, packaging wrap, and crisp packets inside a plastic bag and put them in their glass recycling container.
Previously, soft plastics had to be taken to supermarkets for recycling, a step many people did not take. This new service launch coincides with a change in waste collection frequency, reducing black bin pickups from fortnightly to every three weeks.
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Annemieke Waite, Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, said, “We want to make North Somerset a thriving and sustainable place to live, work, and visit. By simplifying recycling and adjusting waste collections, we hope to protect the environment and save over £1 million to support essential local services.
“I’ve spoken to many residents who are excited to recycle plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping at home. The more we all recycle, the less waste will go into black bins!”
To recycle soft plastics, residents should compress the plastics inside a bread or carrier bag (both recyclable), remove excess air, tie it securely, and place it with their glass recycling box for collection.
Collection days may have changed due to the new three-weekly black bin schedule. Households experiencing a gap longer than three weeks between collections will receive a one-off interim collection, possibly on a Saturday.
Those with medical needs, families with disposable nappies, or larger households may be eligible for extra non-recyclable waste capacity, available from the end of June. Properties with communal collections or in town centres will generally retain their existing black bin schedule, though collection days may shift. Garden waste collections remain unchanged.
Currently, 45% of waste disposed in black bins could be recycled. North Somerset Council benefits financially from recycling sales, whereas waste disposal incurs costs to taxpayers. The new collection schedule is designed to encourage residents to recycle more and reduce landfill waste.
During the consultation on this change, an unprecedented 9,105 residents (about 10% of households) responded. Over half expressed concerns about possible issues with three-weekly black bin collections.
Here is a list of soft plastics now accepted for recycling in North Somerset:
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Items NOT accepted for recycling include:
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