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What to do with

Plastic film & carrier bags

How to recycle plastic packaging
To find your nearest recycling facilities for carrier bags, bread bags and other recyclable plastic packaging listed below, use our handy Recycling Locator tool.
Enter your postcode here to check

Recycling plastic film & carrier bags at supermarkets

For those who can't recycle plastic film at home, some types of plastic films can be recycled at carrier bag collection points at the larger stores of most major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, The Co-op and Waitrose. See below for a list of recyclable plastic packaging

For online shopping deliveries, many supermarkets also allow you to hand your unwanted bags back to the driver for recycling.

Which types of plastic film can be recycled?

The following different types of plastic films are accepted at carrier bag collection points.

Yes pleaseNo thanks
All plastic bags, except biodegradable or compostable bagsAny non-Polyethylene film (e.g. PP, PVC, others)
Bread bagsCling film
Breakfast cereal linersFood and drink pouches
Shrink wrap & ring joiners from multipacks of water, cans etcWrappers from bakeries, e.g. bags with lots of small holes in them
Frozen food bags, e.g. bags for frozen vegetable, chips, etcFilm lids from trays and pots, e.g. yoghurt pots
Dry cleaning bags/bags covering new clothing Any dirty bags or film, for example containing food
Magazine and newspaper wrappersCrisp packets
Bags for fruit and vegetablesCompostable bags
Bubble wrapAny film claiming to be biodegradable
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) - resin ID code 4Pre-prepared salad bags
  • All items should be clean and free of food.
  • Tear off sticky labels where possible.
  • As a general rule, if you can stretch the film then it can be recycled.
  • Compostable and biodegradable bags are not designed to be recycled and if they enter the recycling system can potentially cause quality issues in the recycled material.
Top tips for recycling plastic bags & films

Where else can I recycle plastic film?

A company called Polyprint based in Norwich, will accept POLYTHENE products for recycling. If you live in the area you can drop the items off outside their premises. Alternatively you can post them to:

Polyprint, Earl Road, Rackheath Industrial Estate, Rackheath, Norwich, NR13 6NT

Please ensure you put the correct postage on any parcels you send to them. The best way of forwarding this material to them is by 2nd class or parcel post. NB: Parcels without the correct postage will be sent to landfill. Please include your contact details and clearly mark the outside of the package: FOR RECYCLING. 

Polyprint can accept the following items:

  • Bags used to cover electrical appliances or furniture
  • Bread bags (shaken out)
  • Bin bags (clean)
  • Bubble wrap
  • Can and drink [multiple pack] outers and plastic joining rings
  • Carrier bags (not compostable or biodegradable)
  • Cling film (clean)
  • Courier bags (without paper labels)
  • Dry-cleaning garment wrappers
  • Mailing wrappers (without paper labels)
  • Polythene recycling categories 2 and 4 (as marked on the film)
  • Thin bags used in supermarkets for fruit and veg (shaken out)
  • Toilet roll or nappy pack outers
Find out which plastics you can put in your home recycling
Enter your postcode here to check

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