Wednesday 25 November 2020

Almost 88% of UK councils ‘don’t recycle eco-friendly polythene bags’

Nearly 88% of UK councils don't collect recyclable polythene bags at their curbside recycling sites.

That's according to a new study by the packaging provider Delta Global, which found polythene, a material which is commonly used from the retail industry for online shopping, is not permitted as recyclable plastic waste by the majority of 375 UK councils.

According to the research, the local authorities which accept it have restrictions in place regarding colours and material blends, making it harder to recycle these bags.

The UK government recently announced plans to increase the single-use carrier bag charge to 10p and extended enforcement to all retailers.

Robert Lockyer, Chief Executive Officer of Delta Global, said: "As the war on plastic continues, fashion retailers must take greater accountability for their contribution to the problem, particularly when it comes to their packaging for online orders."