Reading Borough Council is making it easier for you to recycle your plastic bags and wrapping so that we can all recycle better, together. For each other. For Reading.
What is this trial?
A new trial recycling service for plastic bags and wrapping has been introduced in your local area. Starting from 18th September 2023 your plastic bags and wrapping will be collected as part of your normal recycling collection service, inside your existing recycling bin. This is a small-scale trial and if you are involved you will have received information about the trial in the post.
The trial will be available to a small number of residents at the start, and if successful by 2024, it will expand across other parts of Reading and re3 Councils such as Bracknell Forest.
Recycled plastic bags and wrapping can be used to make new plastic products such as plastic packaging, ‘bags for life’, boxes, bins, and agricultural and construction materials.
Recycling your plastic bags and wrapping is simple! Find out what to do below.
Not your council? Find participating councils here.
How to recycle your plastic bags and wrapping in Reading
- 1
Only place your plastic bags and wrapping into the blue collection bags provided by Reading Borough Council so they are easily identified in the recycling process.
- 2
Place only your plastic bags and wrapping in the blue collection bag, tie it securely in a double knot, and place them inside your existing recycling bin. You can use more than one bag per collection.
If you’re wondering what type of plastic bags and wrapping can be included in your blue collection bag, see the list below!
What to include
All plastic bags – carrier bags, salad/fruit/vegetable bags, frozen food bags, bread bags, cereal bags, flower bags
Confectionary wrappers – chocolate, sweets, biscuits, cakes, ice cream and chewing gum wrappers
Foil lined packaging – crisp packets, snack packets, coffee bags
Plastic film and sleeves – removable film lids, plastic sleeves for bottles and jars
Bubble wrap and cling film
Fruit and vegetable net bags
Cheese, fish, and meat wrapping
Outer layer bags and wrapping – multipack, toilet and kitchen roll, magazine, and newspaper wrapping
What not to include
All items should be dry, clean and free from any food.
All pouches, sachets, and packets – microwaveable food, baby food, pet food, cosmetics, detergent and cleaning
Crisp tubes
Plastic straws or cutlery
Foam or polystyrene of any kind
Disposable gloves or masks
Balloons
Blister packs, pills, and tablets packaging
Compostable or biodegradable bags and wrapping
Plastic bottles, pots, tubs, or trays*
Ready meal or fresh meat and fish containers or trays*
*You can still recycle these items by placing them loose in your recycling.
Top Tip
Keep your plastic bags and wrapping until you’ve collected a full bag before putting them in your recycling bin.
FAQs
What are plastic bags and wrapping?
Plastic bags and wrapping refers to flexible plastic packaging that typically bend easily and can include bags, removable lids/liners (yoghurt pot lids) and wrappings. Plastic bags and wrapping are most commonly used to protect products such as sweets/chocolates, snack foods, frozen foods, bakery, fresh produce, meat, dairy, processed foods, cosmetics, personal care, household detergents, beverage bottle/can wrappings.
Why have you introduced a plastic bags and wrapping recycling collection trial service?
We’ve introduced a new trial service to help make recycling plastic bags and wrapping easier for you. Currently in the UK, only 6% of plastic bags and wrapping are recycled. Offering this service helps you and the rest of the Reading to recycle better, together. The trial is currently available to a small number of households, but if successful it will gradually expand to more households by 2024.
How long will the trial last?
The trial will start on 18th September 2023 and will run until March 2025. The trial will only be available to a small number of households at the start, however over the course of two years, if successful it will expand to other areas of Reading and re3 Partnership such as Bracknell Forest. The service should go beyond 2025 when government legislation should provide the necessary funding for the service to continue.
Why is the trial only available to a small selection of households in the area?
The trial will run in two stages. The first stage only involves a small section of the area, however if successful, the service will expand to reach more households across Reading and other re3 Councils. Running the trial in stages allows for the project to collect detailed insights and gain an understanding of the best methods to collect plastic bags and wrapping from homes.
Are there any other local authorities that are taking part in the trial?
There are several other local authorities involved in the trial.
Can I still take my plastic bags and wrapping to front of store points to recycle?
During the trial period, a plastic bags and wrapping recycling collection is available from your home, so you should use the kerbside service to recycle those items.
Why do I have to put plastic bags and wrapping in the collection bag? Why can’t I just put it loose in my recycling bin?
The process for recycling plastic bags and wrapping is different to recycling other plastic packaging. Therefore, plastic bags and wrapping need to be grouped together in the collection bag so that they can be sorted effectively from other recyclables during the recycling process.
Can I put all types of plastic bags and wrapping in the recycling collection?
We accept all types of plastic bags and wrapping listed in the leaflet you have received, so long as they fit inside the blue collection bag. Please do not put plastic bags and wrapping loose in with your other recycling. Remember to always use your blue collection bags and tie them securely, in a double knot. If you need to, you can use more than one bag per collection.
Where can I order more collection bags?
Remember to order more bags before you reach the end of your supply. If you need more collection bags, please visit reading.gov.uk/waste and use our order form. Please only use the blue collection bags provided and not any other bag.
Why doesn’t the recycling locator or Reading Council’s website show that they collect plastic bags and wrapping from my home?
The Recycling Locator does not include the plastic bags and wrapping recycling collection from home because the trial is currently only available to a small selection of households. At this stage of the trial, we only want those households in the trial area to collect plastic bags and wrapping for recycling from their homes. Once the availability of the service expands to more households, information will be added on to the Recycling Locator. For the moment, refer to this page or your plastic bags and wrapping leaflet for a list of what can be recycled in your area.
What is the environmental benefit of recycling plastic bags and wrapping?
Creating new products from recycled plastic provides many benefits to the environment. Almost all virgin plastic (plastic that has never been recycled) comes from fossil fuels, and the process of manufacturing plastic creates millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases every year which harms the environment.
The trial will allow us to explore and gain a clear understanding of how recycling plastic bags and wrapping has an effect on carbon savings, reducing climate change and what the environmental impact is for the local community.
What can recycled plastic bags and wrapping be turned into?
Recycled plastic bags and wrapping can be used to make a range of new plastic products such as, plastic packaging, ‘bags for life’, boxes, bins, and agricultural and construction materials, reducing the reliance on virgin plastic. For longer term, the aim is to support turning recycled plastic bags and wrapping into plastic packaging for food, enabling the UK to create a fully circular model for using this type of plastic material.
Why aren’t plastic bags and wrapping currently widely recycled from home?
Currently, only 17% of local authorities in the UK offer a collection of plastic bags and wrapping. In future years this is set to change with new regulations, but it will take time. In the UK, the aim is for all local authorities to collect plastic bags and wrapping from homes by 2027. To get to this point, we need to test the best methods for collecting, sorting and recycling plastic film. This trial is part of a wider project called FPF FlexCollect, which focuses on developing best practice and insights into the recyclability of flexible plastic bags and wrapping. You can find out more about the FPF FlexCollect project here.
Why aren’t all of the local authorities participating in the trial collecting the same types of plastic bags and wrapping?
To get a detailed understanding of the best way to collect plastic bags and wrapping from the home, the project is testing the collection of various types and combinations. To ensure that you’re putting the correct type of plastic bags and wrapping into your collection bag, please refer to the list of what can be recycled in your area.
Why was my local authority selected for the trial?
Reading is representative of many communities throughout the UK in terms of rurality, economy, geography, recycling services and collection methods. Reading Borough Council’s recycling infrastructure is part of the re3 Partnership which has the scope to incorporate plastic bags and wrapping collection and sorting into the process, and the re3 Partnership has shown enthusiasm in participating in this trial.
