We work with retailers to make it easy for their customers to access high-quality flexi recycling by hosting flexible plastic collection points in-store.
*Whether you call it flexi, flexible, soft or “plastic bags and wrapping” there are loads of ways to describe things like wrappers, packets, film and pouches. The important thing is that by working together, we can make sure it gets recycled.
How does it work?
Everyone has a role to play in bringing flexi back. Individuals will be able to return their flexi to retailer collection points. Retailers can partner with recyclers to access the Fund’s guaranteed minimum pricing structure to recycle flexible plastic into the highest quality materials possible. Manufacturers who use flexible plastic packaging can contribute to the Fund to access the PRNs* generated by this high-quality, tracked initiative.
The PRNs from the Flexible Plastic Fund will provide pricing stability to motivate investment in jobs and infrastructure for flexi recycling in the UK. It will also incentivise the roll-out of new technology that closes the loop on flexible plastic. Waste flexi will ultimately be processed into new flexi, again and again.
*Packaging Recovery Notes are a certificate proving something has been recycled
Building a transparent recycling system
Through the Flexible Plastic Fund’s independently developed auditing process all flexible plastic monitored through the scheme will be tracked from collection point to the final recycled plastic that is ready to be made into something new. Partners can be confident they are contributing to a fully transparent recycling system, where the aim is for at least 80% of the material to be recycled in the UK, with the remaining 20% being recycled in qualifying recycling plants within Europe.
Find out where you can currently recycle flexible plastics on the Recycle Now website.
Aldi provides full transparency on their recycling process
Aldi UK now offers full visibility on the journey of flexible plastic packaging from their front-of-store collection points, right through the recycling journey to end product.
Plastic is tracked and verified by the Flexible Plastic Fund using AI-powered system, eco2Veritas™, developed by Greenback Recycling Technologies. The system shows how much plastic is sorted and into which polymers and how much is reprocessed and into what end products.
Aldi then receives funding from the Flexible Plastic Fund for each verified recycle.
In February 2024, Aldi received its first certificate, which confirmed 62 tonnes of in-scope Polyethylene and 25 tonnes of in-scope Polypropylene were recycled.
“Initiatives like this are essential to build confidence: the public needs to know that this material is actually being recycled; and the industry also needs to know what is possible using this feedstock and that being open about recycling and end destinations has strong benefits.”
Gareth Morton - Discovery Manager at Ecosurety
Join the retailers
Lead the way by supporting the Flexible Plastic Fund to demonstrate your commitment to reducing plastic waste.
Make it easy for your customers to access high-quality flexi recycling by hosting flexible plastic collection points in-store.
Check out WRAP’s tips for in-store flexible recycling here.