The Huffington Post

7 Plastic Bags You Might Think Go In Recycling, But Can't Always

This year, the UK’s rules for recycling changed under the “Simpler Recycling” initiative. That means we should now have four standard bins for collection across the UK, as opposed to the previous up to seven bin options provided by some councils. As part of the new rules, the government explained on their site, “Plastic film packaging and plastic bags will need to be collected with plastic recycling from 31 March 2027”. That’s because not all plastic bags can be recycled in all parts of the UK at the moment. Which plastic bags can’t always be recycled? “Generally, plastic film and carrier bags can’t be recycled at home, but some can be recycled at supermarket carrier bag collection points,” London Recycles shared. That means that in some areas, thin, film-like plastic bags and colourful plastic might not be accepted by the council in your domestic waste. Others allow you to put supermarket carrier bags in your recycling, but say they won’t be processed. And some bodies like York Council have said they don’t accept black or dark plastics as these can’t be recycled yet. “Stretchy plastics”, like bubble wrap or bread bags, aren’t recyclable in that area’s home waste either. They also don’t recycle food or drink pouches. These rules might change according to your local council’s rules, so check those before recycling. But across the board, compostable and biodegradable bags can’t be recycled. “If they enter the recycling system can potentially cause quality issues in the recycled material. These should be placed in your home composting bin, if you have one,” said Recycle . And dirty or sticky plastic bags or those that have food residue or grease on them can’t be recycled either. Why aren’t all plastic bags accepted? Not all types of plastic are as valuable as others to recycling plants. They don’t all cost the same to recycle, and there isn’t the same demand for different kinds of recycled plastic either. Others need specialist recycling facilities, which the UK doesn’t have in large enough quantities yet. Then, there are the bags themselves to consider. “Plastic bags and film can... cause problems at recycling plants, clogging up the sorting equipment and potentially causing whole loads of recyclable waste to go to landfill”, said Zero Waste Scotland . Kent County Council said plastic bags and soft plastics can wrap around their machines, slowing everything down. Some supermarkets in the UK recycle plastic bags on-site. You can find signs on some carrier bags saying whether they can be recycled, and whether or not you need to do so in the store. Related... The 1 Common Recycling Mistake Most Of Us Have No Idea We're Making Bin Collections Have Changed In England: Everything You Need To Know If You Think Recycling Plastic Utensils Saves The Planet, You May Be Forking Yourself