Leicestershire trial means plastic bags can be recycled at home

Lily Walker stressed the importance of recycling to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Items that currently have to go to a supermarket to be recycled will now be collected from kerbsides as part of a trial.

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) is one of nine authorities chosen to pilot the scheme, which starts on 13 March.

More than 6,500 households in Coalville and Greenhill will be able to recycle plastic bags and wrapping from homes.

The government aims to implement the scheme nationwide by 2027.

The trial is part of a larger £2.9m Flexible Plastic Fund FlexCollect project, which aims to inform the government on how plastic bags and wrapping should be added to existing recycling collection services.

Some rural homes in the district have also been selected for the trial, to make sure different households take part.

Plastics such as carrier bags, sweet wrappers, crisp packets, pet food pouches and more will be collected

Lily Walker, at NWLDC, says recycling rates in the district are "pretty good", but admits there is always more that can be done.

She said: "We are looking at what other materials we can encourage residents to recycle from their home.

"Currently, unless people are willing to take their plastic bags and wrapping to the supermarket, it does have to go into the general waste bin, which is such a shame, when these materials could be made into something useful again.

"We do appreciate it seems like another bag for residents to have, but we are currently going through a review of our waste services."

Although the trial will not generate any income for the authority, NWLDC does make about £1m a year from selling recycling from its depot in Coalville.