Households in Wells should expect their collection bags to arrive shortly; those who do not receive them are not part of the trial at this time.

Somerset is taking a leadership role in collaborating with local authorities and the industry to pilot this innovative recycling initiative.

Somerset Council is expanding its trial project for recycling plastic bags and wrapping through weekly household collections, now reaching over 25,000 additional households.

Since May 2023, a small-scale trial in Frome has successfully involved 3,600 households, collecting approximately 27 tonnes of soft plastics.

This initial trial in Frome has demonstrated significant engagement, with residents recycling around 95,000 bags worth of soft plastics.

This expansion will include residents in Wells, Draycott, Frome, and Chilcompton, allowing them to recycle a variety of hard-to-recycle plastics.

Participating households will soon receive blue collection bags along with detailed information on the types of plastics that can be recycled.

Mickey Greene, Executive Director of Climate and Place at Somerset Council, emphasized the community's strong desire to contribute to environmental efforts regarding plastic waste.

Currently, plastic bags and wrapping can only be recycled at designated supermarket collection points, making this initiative a significant step forward.

Councillor Richard Wilkins praised Somerset residents for their commitment to sustainability, highlighting the high participation rate in the Frome trial.

The FlexCollect project, part of a £3 million initiative involving nine councils across England, aims to integrate flexible plastics into household recycling services.

The UK government has set a goal to implement kerbside collection of plastic bags and wrapping for all households by March 2027.