PLASTIC is one of the biggest forms of waste that is currently sent to landfill, much of it caused by supermarket packaging. But help is at hand.
In recent months, stores have started accepting soft plastics – bread bags, food wrappers and cling films – for recycling. But it’s a work in progress.
To make things easier, the Southern Co-op has announced two new collection points, in its Binfield store and the Market Place store in Wokingham’s town centre.
Shoppers can leave items such as biscuit wrappers and carrier bags when they pop in.
The independent, regional co-operative hopes its expansion of soft plastics recycling bins will enable more customers to safely recycle materials that can’t be recycled at home.
Simon Eastwood, chief operating officer for retail at Southern Co-op, said: “We started to trial these towards the end of last year and they have been really well received by both customers and colleagues.
“We would ask recyclers to double check if their plastics can be recycled before putting it in the bin. One way to do this is the scrunch test.”
And he also raised the issue of hygiene, asking people to wash the items before dropping them in.
There is one big plus: they are taking all soft plastics, regardless of origin.
“It doesn’t need to have been bought in store to be recycled with us,” Mr Eastwood said.
The Co-op has also audited its packaging, to ensure that all of its own brand items can be recycled either from kerbside collections or the soft plastics bins in store.
Once collected, the recyclable material is sent to Jayplas, which turns it into post-consumer plastic granules. These are then made into secondary products such as bin liners, buckets, and construction industry materials.
Gemma Lacey, director of sustainability and communications at Southern Co-op, said: “We all need to do our bit to ensure our future is waste free.
“We are really pleased with how the trials of soft plastic recycling has gone so far and are now keen to enable more people to make use of it.
“We know the appetite for change is there within our communities and together we can all play our part in making a positive difference to our environment and our communities.”
Examples of acceptable items for recycling project include: Bread bags, produce bags, ordinary carrier bags, wrappers around kitchen towel and toilet roll, bags that nappies come in, bags from cotton wool, cereal box liners, bags from frozen foods, bags from ice cubes, lids on yogurts, cream and desserts, lids from packs of meat and ready meals, lidding film from cheese packs, wrapping around chicken, fruit and veg flow wrap, chocolate wrappers, wrappers from croissants, pancakes and crumpet etc, biscuit wrappers, wrappers from cakes and Yorkshire puddings, flower wrappers, bags from dried fruit, sugar, pulses, rice and pasta, protective wrappers from gift wrap, bags from gift tags, pastry packaging, bags from household textiles and similar such as all-purpose cloths, dusters, dishcloths, rubber gloves and scourers, wrappers from pet food, wrappers from pies, pasties and sausage rolls, bagged sweets, pizza wrappers, bags from porridge and muesli pouches, and packaging from baby wipes and similar.
For more details, log on to: https://southern.coop/how-we-do-it/sustainability
