Householders in the Stroud district are being urged not to put plastic bags in with their recycling.
All non-food recycling including glass, plastic, metals, paper and cardboard should be placed loose in the appropriate containers.
“Our crews have noticed a gradual increase in the number of plastic bags that are included in with recycling containers,” said Cllr Chloe Turner, Stroud District Council’s chair of Environment Committee.
“We cannot currently recycle plastic bags at our depot and there’s no easy way to remove them. Recycling reprocessors have reported that plastic bags have been the cause of fires in processing plants, and they get caught up in machinery, causing breakages and delays.”
“In addition, the clear plastic film that covers the front of many plastic food containers should also be removed prior to putting the container into the recycling.
“These are small actions for householders but will makes a big difference to our crews.”
Plastic bags can, however, be used to line food waste caddies as this is sent to a different facility which is able to easily separate plastic at the start of the process. Other types of lining, including newspaper or biodegradable bags can be used, or the caddies can be left unlined.
Recycling collected in the Stroud district is taken to the Ubico transfer station at Gossington before being transported for sorting and reprocessing.
Extra recycling containers can be ordered via the Stroud District Council website. They can be collected free-of-charge from the council’s headquarters at Ebley Mill, Stroud or delivered at a small cost – find out how, here.
Stroud district residents are among the best in the country for recycling. In 2020/21 it had the 14th highest recycling rate out of 338 local authorities: https://www.letsrecycle.com/councils/league-tables/2020-21-overall-performance-2/
“Environment and Climate change is one of the top three priorities in our Council Plan which supports the phasing out of single use plastics in the district and encourages and supports local initiatives to ‘reduce, repair and recycle,’” said Environment Committee vice chair, Cllr Robin Drury-Layfield.
“Ideally people will take reusable bags to the supermarket, but if you do need to buy a plastic bag when you’re there, remember they can be reused many times before they wear out.”
Plastic bags and other plastic film/wrapping can be recycled at a number of places across the district, including many supermarkets. Visit the Recycle Now website to find out where.
There is more information, including what can and cannot be recycled, on the Stroud District Council website.
