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Plastic recycling

You can now recycle plastic types 1, 2, 5 and 6 at nine points across North Somerset.

 

The amount of plastic waste generated annually in the UK is estimated to be nearly 3 million tonnes. Where possible avoid buying over-packaged products and instead buy refill plastic containers.

 

Then recycle the remaining plastic you may have at the following plastic recycling points:

  • Backwell - Recycling Centre
  • Clevedon - Millcross
  • Nailsea - Clevedon Road Car Park
  • Portishead - Recycling Centre
  • Portishead - Waitrose
  • Weston-super-Mare - Recycling Centre
  • Weston-super-Mare - Tesco
  • Winscombe - The Woodborough Pub
  • Yatton - Somerfield

We currently accept the four most common types of plastic - Type 1 PET(E), Type 2 (HDPE) Type 5 (PP) and Type 6 (PS)

Type 1, or Polyethylene Terephthalate, is commonly used to make fizzy drink bottles, water bottles and salad trays

Type 2, or High Density Polyethylene, is mainly used to make milk bottles, bleach, cleaners and most shampoo bottles.

Type 5, or Polypropylene, is commonly used to make margarine tubs and microwaveable meal trays.

Type 6, or Polystyrene, is mainly used to make yoghurt pots, foam hamburger boxes, plastic egg cartons, plastic cutlery and protective packaging for electronic goods.

You can identify what type of plastic you have by looking for an embossed triangular logo normally around the base:

  • For type 1 look for both the number 1 or the letters PET(E).
  • For type 2 look for both the number 2 or the letters HDPE.
  • For type 5 look for both the number 5 or the letters PP
  • For type 6 look for both the number 6 or the letters PS

The logo with both letters and numbers is shown in the picture at the top of this page, however the logo is sometimes displayed with only numbers or only letters.

We can not accept plastic with any other combination of letters or numbers for recycling because, at the moment, it is difficult to do and expensive and we do not have a secure end market for recycling the other types of plastic.

Please do not recycle plastic without a logo, flower pots, cling film, carrier bags, bin liners, bubble wrap or plastic types 3, 4, 7 or above.

Further information on how plastics are recycled and the issues regarding plastic recycling visit our frequently ask questions page or recycle-now.

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