Thousands more households able to recycle plastics

About 25,000 more households are now able to recycle plastic bags and wrapping through kerbside collections.

It comes after Somerset Council expanded a small trial involving 3,500 homes in Frome, which started in May 2023.

The scheme has now been extended to households in Wells, Draycott and Chilcompton.

Lead member for transport and waste, councillor Richard Wilkins, said: "It's working well so far and shows us that Somerset is keen on recycling."

"The success of phase one means that we can collect and recycle plastic bags and wrapping from thousands more people," he added.

The collections pick up a wide range of plastic bags and wrapping, including carrier bags, bread bags, confectionary wrappers, crisp packets, food wrapping and cling film.

The plastics are part of the usual weekly recycling collections, to be put out for collection in the plastic sacks provided to participating households.

Previously, the only way to recycle many of the materials was at supermarket collection points.

Paula Neubauer, who took part in the Frome trial, said: "It's amazing that I can take responsibility for it and instead of it going to landfill, or to a supermarket, it just gets picked up from my doorstep."

Somerset is one of 10 local authorities, including South Gloucestershire, which is participating in the larger FlexCollect pilot.

It aims to inform the government and industry on how soft plastic packaging can be added to existing collection services.

In its first year, the Frome trial saw 27 tonnes of soft plastics collected for recycling - about 95,000 bags.

It is hoped that every household around the country will have the kerbside collections by March 2027.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.