Trial bags more than four tonnes of plastic bags and wrapping

More than four tonnes of plastic bags and wrapping have been collected for recycling as part of Somerset Council’s role in a national project to expand recycling collections.

Residents in the trial areas are asked to put their plastic bags and wrapping (sometimes referred to as soft or flexible plastics), such as bread bags or confectionary wrappers, into a recyclable plastic bag for collection on their usual recycling day.

This small-scale pilot includes around 3,600 homes across two locations in Frome.

The trial began at the end of May and is already proving a success, with more residents than expected taking part. It’s part of a larger £2.9m Flexible Plastic Fund ‘FlexCollect’ project. The project will help to inform government and industry on how plastic bags and wrapping should be added to existing household collection services.

Only those who were written to directly are able to take part, however it's anticipated that the trial will be expanded to more Somerset homes next year, following further monitoring.

Residents who are not part of the trial can take their soft plastics to local recycling points, often found in supermarkets.

Use the Recycle Now search function to find your nearest collection point.