The trial of plastic bags and wrapping recycling collections will expand to 6,422 households. Credit: Maksimov Andrey 1984/Shutterstock.

The North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) in the UK has expanded its plastic bags and wrapping recycling collection trial, aiming to include an additional 6,422 households.  

The initiative, which began in March 2024, has already seen the successful collection and recycling of more than eight tonnes of plastic bags and wrapping. 

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From 20 September, the trial will reach residents in Acresford, Appleby Magna, Donisthorpe, Measham, Normanton Le Heath, Oakthorpe, and parts of Moira and Packington, as well as all households on the council’s rural collection route.  

Residents are required to use purple collection bags for their plastic bags and wrapping, which are to be presented alongside their usual recycling containers. 

Participants in the expanded trial will receive a leaflet detailing the collection process by post starting 29 August, followed by two packs of purple bags and further instructions delivered from 9 September.  

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By 2027, the UK government will mandate that all councils collect this type of packaging at the kerbside. 

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The trial is a component of the broader £2.9m Flexible Plastic Fund initiative known as ‘FlexCollect’, which includes nine local authorities in England.  

The project’s goal is to guide both government and industry on integrating plastic bags and wrapping into current recycling collection services. 

NWLDC community and climate change deputy leader and portfolio holder councillor Michael Wyatt said: “I’m really pleased that we’re expanding this trial to so many more households. The expanded trial will enable us to build on the success of the first phase.  

“It will also add to what we’ve already learned about these collections across the district’s towns, villages and rural areas. The system has been designed to be as simple as possible so that bags and wrappers can be put out for recycling alongside red boxes and blue bags.  

“This small change for households will make a huge difference to the country’s plastic bags and wrapping recycling rate when it rolls out nationally by 2027.”