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.
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 please | No thanks | |
|---|---|---|
| All plastic bags, except biodegradable or compostable bags | Any non-Polyethylene film (e.g. PP, PVC, others) | |
| Bread bags | Cling film | |
| Breakfast cereal liners | Food and drink pouches | |
| Shrink wrap & ring joiners from multipacks of water, cans etc | Wrappers from bakeries, e.g. bags with lots of small holes in them | |
| Frozen food bags, e.g. bags for frozen vegetables, chips, etc | Film 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 wrappers | Crisp packets | |
| Bags for loose fruit and vegetables | Compostable bags | |
| Bubble wrap | Any film claiming to be biodegradable | |
| Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) - resin ID code 4 | Pre-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