Carrier Bags
Carrier bags are rarely collected as part of local authority kerbside collections, but some local recycling centres now accept them.
How do I recycle them?
Some supermarkets now offer instore recycling banks for carrier bags or the option to hand the bags back to the driver if your shopping is delivered to your home.
- Sainsburys - with the exception of the small local stores, recycling banks can be found at all Sainsbury's stores.
- Tesco - Have instore collection points in some stores
- Somerfield - Have collection points in a number of stores
Why not check out your local supermarket the next time you visit? The bins are normally located by the main entrance doors.
What else can I do with them?
Bags for life
Most supermarkets have ‘bag for life’ schemes. You buy one large, durable carrier bag for 10p which should last at least 10 trips. When it wears out the cashier will replace it free of charge and the old one will be recycled by the supermarket.
Avoid them!
Better still, take a canvas or string bag with you when you go shopping – they're much stronger than carrier bags and won't dig into your hands!
What are carrier bags made from?
Although carrier bags today use 70% less plastic than they did 20 years ago, most are still made from polyethylene, a kind of plastic which is non-degradable. This kind of plastic takes a long time to break down, possibly up to hundreds of years.
