Major plastics recycling change comes into effect on Monday, 14 October 2024

The change, which is launched to coincide with National Recycle Week, means you can now recycle many more items, including:

For many years the only type of plastic collected for recycling was plastic bottles. This is because plastic bottles are made from high-quality plastics, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) that can be widely recycled by plastic reprocessors in the UK. Additionally, there were limited sustainable markets for other types of plastic packaging.

By April 2026, the government requires all councils in England to recycle a consistent set of materials as part of its Simpler Recycling Policy. This means that wherever you live in England you will be able to recycle the same at work and home.

Due to these changes, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is upgrading its materials recovery facility, where mixed recycling is sorted and separated to allow them to collect and sort a wider range of plastic packaging.

Councillor Tricia Ayrton, deputy leader and portfolio holder for climate change and environment said:

“The ability to recycle more plastic items is a welcome addition, meaning more items can be saved from going into general waste, which is even better for the climate.

“Our recycling rates are extremely positive, and we thank you for helping to keep our borough clean and green.

“We welcome the government’s drive to improve recycling and understand that policies are being introduced to simplify plastic packaging to encourage manufacturers to design packaging out of materials that can be easily recycled.”

Recycling rates published for 2021/22 showed that Greater Manchester is leading the way with household recycling rates rising to over 50 per cent, making it one of the best-performing city-regions in the country. The national average in England is 44 per cent. These additional positive changes to recycling can only help continue this positive trend.