The re3 Partnership, the waste partnership for Bracknell Forest, Reading, and Wokingham Boroughs, has been selected to participate in a significant project that will trial the collection of plastic bags and wrapping at kerbside. Various plastic items, including plastic bags, confectionery wrappers, crisp packets, plastic film, bubble wrap, and more, will be collected in a separate bag as part of the regular kerbside recycling collections.
The trial service will commence on 18th September, initially involving over 4,000 households within Reading Borough. The trial will encompass a range of family sizes and housing types, and those chosen to participate will receive information on how to use the new plastic bags and wrapping collection service. To recycle plastic bags and wrappings, residents will need to place all items inside specially provided blue bags, securely tie them with a double knot, and deposit them within their existing recycling bin.
Recycled plastic bags and wrapping can be utilised to manufacture new plastic products such as boxes, bins, “bags for life”, as well as agricultural and construction materials.
This is the first year of a two-year trial which is planned to be expanded next year to the re3 partners Bracknell Forest and Wokingham Borough, along with other areas of Reading, ultimately involving up to 20,000 households.
The trial is part of a larger £2.9m Flexible Plastic Fund ‘FlexCollect’ project, which involves nine local authorities across England, and aims to inform government and industry on how plastic bags and wrapping should be added to existing household collection services.
Cllr Karen Rowland, Chair of the Joint Waste Disposal Board and Reading Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety commented:
“There is no doubt that we are very excited to be a part of this trial and invite all selected households to participate and follow the provided instructions. Plastic bags and wrapping pose a significant challenge to the industry, as they accounted for 22% of all UK consumer plastic packaging in 2020, but only 8% of what is recycled[1].
Currently, the only way for residents to recycle plastic bags and wrapping is at supermarket front-of-store collection points. This trial will help us understand how we can ultimately recycle the maximum amounts of plastic bags and wrapping by ensuring we develop the best methods of collection for all our residents. Additionally, it will enable us to gather valuable insights about the volume and composition of these materials. In Reading, this initiative is another step towards achieving our net-zero ambitions as set out within the Council’s Climate Emergency declaration.”
In a joint comment:
Cllr Helen Purnell, Bracknell Forest Council’s Executive Member for the Environment and Community Cohesion and Cllr Ian Shenton, Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Leisure added:
“Over the last several years, we have made significant improvements to our kerbside recycling collections. We now offer weekly food waste collections and have expanded the range of items accepted for recycling, including plastic pots, tubs, trays, foil, and cartons. We are eagerly anticipating the results of this trial and hope that residents will actively participate. By doing so, we can gather valuable insights and, more importantly, contribute to environmental preservation by ensuring these valuable materials remain within the recycling loop.”
[1] RECOUP Household Plastics Collection Survey 2021
