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North Somerset Council is thanking residents for their efforts in working with them on the change and helping to reduce waste and increase recycling.
Councillor Annemieke Waite, North Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, comments: “I’d like to thank everyone for giving it a go. By making small changes at home – wasting less and recycling more – people across the area are helping to protect the environment and keep costs down.
“We know any change takes time to bed in, but most people have taken this in their stride. We’re really grateful for everyone’s efforts. Every banana skin in the food caddy and every plastic bottle in the red bag makes a difference.”
“Although we’ve seen a positive impact since black bins are now collected every three weeks, a few residents have had a trickier start with missed collections as the new system beds in and crews adjust to new routes. If that happens to you, you can report it at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/report-missed-collection.
Councillor Waite added: “If you experienced a missed collection we’re sorry about that and will continue to work to maintain the high standards we all expect. Please do report any missed collections or problems so we can take action to rectify it and download the North Somerset Council app to stay up to date with collections and get reminders for bin day.”
Soft plastics now collected at the kerbside
As of June, North Somerset Council became the first local authority in the country to begin collecting plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping at the kerbside.
Soft plastics include items like bread bags, crisp packets, salad bags, plastic film lids and cling film – lightweight materials that take up lots of space in black bins and are often missed when recycling.
Households are advised to squash their soft plastics into a plastic carrier or bread bag, tie it tightly to squeeze out the air, and place it in the same box as their glass recycling. To help keep the quality high, soft plastics must be clean and dry before collection.
Cllr Waite said: “One of the most common questions we get is what happens to soft plastics once they’re collected – and here’s the answer:
“Right now, the materials are stored at our Weston-super-Mare transfer station while we work with several specialist recycling companies to find the best place to send them. Ideally, we want to recycle them here in the UK or Europe, where the technology is more advanced.
The materials are baled and will be sent to specialist recycling facilities where they will be sorted, shredded and washed. Some will be turned into plastic pellets for new packaging, others will be used to make bin bags, building materials or even outdoor furniture. In some cases, advanced recycling processes will break them down into oils and gases for reuse in manufacturing.
North Somerset Environment Company (NSEC) has collected more than 30 tonnes of soft plastics since the scheme began on 9 June – more than double what was originally expected.
Recycling options for soft plastics are improving rapidly, helped by the government’s plan for every council in England to collect plastic bags and soft plastic at the kerbside by 2027.
The council will share more updates once the first batch is sent off for recycling.
Find out where your other recycling goes at: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/where-your-recycling-goes.
You can also download our free app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to receive reminders for when to put your bins out and search for what to do with any item and other council services.