Newport plans on recycle soft plastics in future

Local TV

Soft plastic is one of the most difficult materials to recycle, and as much as 94% of it is left in landfill in the UK. Newport City Council are hoping to be one of the first in the country to offer soft plastic recycling for residents.

Transcript

00:00Recycling could soon get a little bit easier in Newport with plans for new trials to deal

00:06with one of the trickiest types of waste, soft plastics.

00:10These are the flexible wrappers and films that you find on crisp packets, bread bags,

00:14bubble wrap and other food.

00:16Most households use them every single day but they're notoriously difficult to recycle.

00:20Right now the only option for many people is to drop them off at collection points at

00:24some large supermarkets or just simply chuck them in the bin.

00:28Newport Group Wrap estimates that of the 311,000 tonnes of plastic wrapping placed on supermarket

00:34shelves in the UK each year, just 6% is actually recycled.

00:39Newport councillor Chris Reeks has suggested the city should do more, pointing out that

00:42other areas like Torvine already offer soft plastic recycling points.

00:47He also urged the council to consider a paid collection service for businesses who produce

00:52a large amount of this waste, much of which entirely ends up in landfill.

00:57In response, council leader Dimitri Bartuni said trials are being planned in partnership

01:01with waste savers, with collections expected to begin next year for both residents and businesses.

01:06But he also highlighted the challenges.

01:09Recycling soft plastics currently costs around £650 a tonne.

01:13From 2027, producers will be expected to pick up those costs as part of the plans, something

01:19the council said could make the move more sustainable.

01:24For now Newport is already performing fairly well, recycling 71% of its waste, one of the

01:29best rates in Wales and above the Welsh Government's 70% target.

01:33If these trials though prove successful, residents and businesses in the city could soon have a

01:37much easier way of keeping soft plastics out of landfill.

01:40James Beach Watkins, reporting for Local TV.

01:42TV.

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