Anyone used Co-Op to recycle their soft plastic?

[InpatientGardener]

I saw this advertised on TV and looked into it further online-they seem to take virtually everything I would usually throw away in my rubbish bin! Has anyone used this yet? I'm a bit sceptical my local shop might turn me away with what just looks like a big bag of rubbish.

No but I hadn't seen the advert so thank you for bringing it to my attention.

We've used it- ours has a tall, narrow bin just inside the door to put all your soft plastics in. I go in once or twice a week and take in a small bag (usually a bread bag) filled with all the film/plastic packaging. I don't put in the soft plastic that specifically says 'not yet recyclable', but if it doesn't say either way it gets included. I'm hoping it's popular and they'll introduce it more widely.

Most (all?) of the main supermarkets now offer this where previously it was only bag recycling. It's great news!

I popped in with a big bag of soft plastics the other day. Nary an eyebrow was raised in my direction, and the recycling bin was filled with other's big bags! You'll be fine.

If you're genuinely worried, go in without the rubbish first and scope out where the collection bin is... That way you can walk straight to it quickly and confidently, rather than wandering around the store like a mad bag lady like I did

@The4Seasons

We've used it- ours has a tall, narrow bin just inside the door to put all your soft plastics in. I go in once or twice a week and take in a small bag (usually a bread bag) filled with all the film/plastic packaging. I don't put in the soft plastic that specifically says 'not yet recyclable', but if it doesn't say either way it gets included. I'm hoping it's popular and they'll introduce it more widely.

I've just been looking at the website and it specifically says the recycling labels may not be up to date. They seem to include A LOT more than other supermarket plastic bag recycling schemes.

Info here.

www.coop.co.uk/environment/soft-plastics/packaging-list

Thanks everyone! I'm just really surprised, and pleased that I can recycle that much, I've been doing pet food pouches locally for a while. I noticed it said on the website that if they can't recycle it they'll incinerate it (or something?) to create energy.

Ours is just inside the door as well. I usually take a carrier bag but I wouldn't go any bigger than that because the bin isn't huge and you might struggle to get the bag in.

The website says they sort what they receive and if there's anything in there that can't be recycled they'll send it for energy recovery. This is good because it means that anything you're not sure about can go in and will be suitably treated. It specifically says that a lot of materials are still labelled as Do Not Recycle when they are in fact recyclable by the Co Op scheme, so I throw mine in and let them have what they want.

I think it's great. I really like the Co Op anyway and think this is a really positive step.

Sainsburys do it too.

@nothinglikemyname

Thanks, I'll look at the link. It did seem very random what can and can't be recycled.

Ours is just inside the door too. We’ve just filled our 3rd carrier bag in 2 weeks. It’s amazing how much we’ve managed to collect in such a short space of time.

I've just been! Bin was v small, like the size of a kitchen bin but managed to squeeze my stuff in. I can't believe how much I had in just a few days. I'd have emptied my rubbish bin at least once by now. Maybe I should lay off the crisps! Plus for anyone who's local council do fortnightly bin collection, it's a great way to reduce what's in your bin.

Ooh gonna see if our co-op has one of these! Thanks for the heads up!

I’ve seen the ad but the “Squish” it was confusing. What does it mean? Surely it’s a bread wrapper you pop in their recycling bin it’s should need prep by squishing it first.

@akire it might refer to checking it can go in the bin, it said on the website that if you scrunch it and it bounces back then its soft plastic.

I do this but I don't put anything in that has a silver lining like crisp bags, not sure if that's correct or not.

@tubbyinthehottub I think you can put crisp packets and pet food pouches in. Might be wrong though

Some Tesco stores have these. I recycle large bags of this kind of stuff frequently. It’s pretty disgraceful that councils don’t collect soft plastics as they are a large component of what’s in the landfill bins. Our council incinerates non recyclable waste so it is incinerating all these plastics when they could be collected and recycled.

Nobody bats an eyelid at the Tesco one - you just fling it in. Given the problems people have with black bin overspill, I doubt it will be long before people realise they can chuck all sorts in there unchecked.

You can put pet food pouches in ours.

Here is a photo

[quote InpatientGardener]@akire it might refer to checking it can go in the bin, it said on the website that if you scrunch it and it bounces back then its soft plastic.[/quote]
Ah right yes that makes sense for crisps packet or foil packets. It wasn’t very clear at all.

I need to look into this. Our council says it recycles plastics 1, 2, 4 and 5, which doesn't seem to include things like overwraps from canned tomatoes, part baked bread etc.

I take dry pet food bags to the local vets, who are a Terracycle collection point, and have set up our own collection point for our coffee pods, which can be sent to an industrial composter.

But I admit to not recycling pet food packets because you have to wash and dry them, and its not happening. They can go in the city incinerator bloody cats won't eat the good canned food I buy either.

I have been doing this for about a month , my non recycling is hardly anything now. I use empty bread bags and take them to the co-op when they are full, but check first because not all stores are doing it, only one Co-op in our town.

Has anyone got any easy cleaning tips for things like crisp packets? I already have a little pet food pouch cleaning/drying routine that involves most of the kitchen windowsill and a tray but I haven't got loads of space for other stuff. Does everyone religiously wash things out?

Cut them down one side so and across bottom so can swish in bowl of soapy water and can check no food left. Dry with tea towel? It’s enough put you off eating crisps!

Thank you for the reminder about this. I had a leaflet through the door a while back and had forgotten. I'll check that out local one has one next time I go in and start collecting things up. We have recycling bins for paper, cardboard, glass and plastic bottles, aluminium foil, food and garden waste but nothing for all the plastic wrappers. If the co-op can do it, why can't councils?