North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) says the first year of a flexible plastics collection trial has been a success.

The council has announced that it has collected 26.8 tonnes (26,800kg) of plastic bags and wrapping during the scheme's opening 12 months. 

The trial asks people to fill purple bags with plastic bags and wrapping to be presented for collection alongside their usual recycling containers. 

By the first anniversary of the trial on March 13, it is predicted to have collected more than 75,000 purple bags full of plastics and wrapping.

The trial, which rolled out to more than 6,500 households in parts of Coalville and Hugglescote in March 2024, was expanded six months later to a further 6,422 households in Acresford, Appleby Magna, Donisthorpe, Measham, Normanton Le Heath, Oakthorpe and parts of Moira and Packington.

It is part of a larger £2.9million Flexible Plastic Fund 'FlexCollect' project, which involves 10 local authorities across England, and aims to inform government and industry on how plastic bags and wrapping should be added to existing recycling collection services.

Items that can be recycled in the purple bags include: 

• Any kind of plastic carrier bag
• Fruit and vegetable wrapping
• Bread bags
• Cereal packets
• Sweet wrappers
• Biscuit wrappers
• Crisp packets
• Coffee bags
• Magazine packets
• Film lids from ready meals
• Plastic sleeves from bottles and jars
• Pet and baby food pouches
• Bubble wrap and cling film. 

The material collected in North West Leicestershire has been sent for mechanical recycling locally to be turned into items such as bags, buckets and crates.

By 2027, the Government will require all councils to collect this sort of packaging at the kerbside.

More information about the trial in North West Leicestershire is available at the Plastic Recycling webpage and on the Recycle Now website.

• "I hope we can carry on with it. It makes a massive difference what goes into the general waste bin for sure"
• "We are gobsmacked by how much our black bin has reduced because of this! Great initiative and hope it keeps going and is rolled out wider soon"
• "Brilliant trial and needs to be rolled out everywhere ASAP"
• "Really like this new service – it saves us having to take it to the supermarket collection point every weekend!"
• "Just popping by to say very very pleased with this new trial collection. Our black bin waste is markedly reduced, we can't believe it's black bin day when it comes around!"

Councillor Michael Wyatt, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Community and Climate Change at NWLDC, said: "I'm really pleased that we've reached this major milestone, and that the first year of this important trial has been a great success.

"I'd like to thank everyone who has taken part in the trial since last March. Nearly twenty-seven tonnes is a huge amount of plastic waste which can be given new uses rather than being sent for incineration.

 "As well as the obvious environmental benefit, the trial has also given us valuable data which will help us as we look to roll out the collection of flexible plastic recycling to every household in the district by 2027."