Flexible plastic packaging constitutes between 6% and 9% by weight of the household residual (non-recycled) waste stream, of which only a small percentage is currently recycled. Under recycling reforms under the four-nation UK commitment to standardise recycling and improve infrastructure, local authorities and businesses in England (Simpler Recycling), Wales (Beyond Recycling), Scotland (Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024), and Northern Ireland (Climate Change Act (NI) 2022) should introduce kerbside collections (weekly or fortnightly) for flexible plastics—such as plastic film packaging, carrier bags, bread bags, and wrappers — from 31 March 2027. This initiative aims to tackle the current shortfall in domestic recycling capacity and standardize waste collection across the UK.
Local Authorities in Wales are the most advanced in the roll out the collection of flexible plastics, whilst local authorities in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland mainly only currently have trials and pilot projects. There is a lot for local authorities in the UK to do this year in terms of procurement or arrangement / planning for the collection, transfer and treatment of flexible plastics, including budgeting for this in the next financial year (2027/28). Timescales are already tight.
Currently the majority of domestic flexible plastics in the UK (with the exception of Wales) are collected at supermarket collection points. From 31st March 2027 flexible plastics should be collected directly from households. Flexcollect trials promote households placing flexible plastics into a separate bag that is either collected ‘source separated’ or placed in a mixed recyclables bin to be sorted at a Materials Recycling Facility. The Council or households will need to pay for the dedicated flexible plastics collection bag. There is the potential for wind blown litter from the source segregated collection of flexible plastics unless dedicated collection receptacles are provided. The option of placing plastic film loose within mixed dry recyclables (the simplest option for the householder) was also included within the Flexcollect trials, however less emphasis was placed on this option versus other collection systems.
Local authorities should source segregate collect plastics unless they can prove that collecting certain plastics is technically or economically impracticable, or provides no significant environmental benefit, through a TEEP (Technically, Environmentally, and Economically Practicable) assessment.
Refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) that are segregating plastic film will need to be modified for the collection of flexible plastics i.e. internal partitioning (spilt-body vehicles) or dedicated storage cages; compaction system adjustments. RCVs may therefore need to be off the road (out of use) to be modified and there will be a cost involved. Crews will need to be trained in the safe collection of flexible plastics and how to load to minimise wind-blown litter.
It is likely that for the vast majority of local authorities in the UK there will be a need to transfer flexible plastics to a dedicated processing or treatment facility. Where flexible plastics are transferred, modifications in transfer stations will be needed for RCV unloading, compaction / baling and storage, and transfer vehicle loading.
Flexible plastics may be processed/treated through specialized mechanical recycling (shredding, washing, extrusion) or chemical methods like pyrolysis to create recycled granules. Due to its low density, a wide mix of material components and contamination (e.g. with food residue), they require advanced sorting, such as optical AI or AI-enabled suction.
There are many logistical, contractual and economic barriers to overcome for a successful recycling market for flexible plastics from a nationwide scheme. The main issues for the collection of flexible plastics in the UK from 31st March 2027 is going to be that there is very little existing infrastructure to process it, and the value of the end product will be significantly less than the cost to collect, transfer, sort and process the flexible plastics. There are some facilities in the UK which can process flexible plastics (Jayplus (Midlands and Nationwide); Sherbourne Recycling (Coventry); Yes Recycling and Cireco (Scotland); and Parry & Evans (England and Wales); and more are being planned. However, FRM expect a shortfall in 2027 with some flexible plastics being transferred long distances for processing. It is worth noting that, with reprocessing fees usually north of £500 / tonne, the driver here is environmental and societal, not economic.
Frith Resource Management (FRM) support local authorities in TEEP assessments including flexible plastics, and/or modelling and specifying the collection of flexible plastics. We also have experience around MRF adaptation and waste / recyclate flow impacts. In addition, FRM can assess the additional costs to local authorities in the collection, transfer and processing of flexible plastics. Email info@frithrm.com or tel. 01746 552423 www.frithrm.com