Accepted soft plastics can be placed loose in blue-lidded recycling bins as part of the usual fortnightly mixed recycling collection. Items include empty plastic bags, sweet wrappers, foil-lined packaging, plastic films and sleeves, bubble wrap, cling film, and fruit and vegetable nets. All soft plastics must be empty, clean, and dry. Residents are advised not to place items inside plastic bags, as this can lead to contamination and the bin not being emptied.
Items that cannot be accepted include pouches and sachets, balloons, blister packs, compostable or biodegradable bags, disposable gloves and masks, foam, polystyrene, plastic cutlery, and plastic textiles. Recycling soft plastics helps reduce the demand for new plastic, with the recycled material being used to create products such as packaging, bags for life, boxes, bins, and agricultural and construction materials.
“"We’re really pleased to see how many residents are recycling their waste instead of putting it in their general rubbish bin. Our community is making a real effort to recycle as much as they can, and we’d like to thank everyone who is already doing their bit. Seeing this commitment from residents has encouraged us to expand the service and start collecting soft plastics too. We hope this makes recycling even easier and helps people recycle more from home. By working together, we can reduce waste and keep Watford cleaner and greener."
Full guidance is available at watford.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling. For further questions, residents can email enquiries.watford@veolia.co.uk or call 020 3567 6900.
