Plastic film - A to Z of recycling

Leading supermarket groups are taking back clean plastic film at their larger stores. This is normally at the in-store carrier bag recycling points. Participating stores include Asda, Sainsbury, Co-op, Tesco, Morrisons and Waitrose.

In Warwick and Stratford Districts, plastic film can be recycled in the blue lidded recycling bin. This will be rolled out to Rugby, Nuneaton & Bedworth and North Warwickshire Boroughs in 2025.

Accepted types of plastic film

Any low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film which is sometimes marked with a number 4:

• plastic wrappers from bakery goods
• plastic breakfast cereal liners
• plastic toilet roll wrappers
• plastic bags from fruit and veg
• plastic carrier bags
• plastic bread bags
• plastic freezer bags
• plastic magazine wrap
• plastic shrink wrap
• bubble wrap

Not accepted types of plastic film

• cling film

If you are unsure look out for the label on the packet which should say “recycle with your carrier bags at larger stores – not at the kerbside”.

What happens to the plastic film?

The supermarkets collect it at the front of the store and then they use “reverse haulage” so when new stock is delivered the empty truck takes away all their plastic wrapping. The plastic is recycled at a variety of UK reprocessors who use it to make recycled plastic carrier bags and rubbish bags.

Why recycle plastic film?

The average household gets through about 25 kg of plastic film each year – that’s nearly 5,700 tonnes a year in Warwickshire alone.