World · Europe · 3 hrs ago
Denbighshire trial asks 4,500 homes to sort soft plastics
Denbighshire County Council is testing soft-plastic recycling with about 4,500 homes in the Welsh county.
The three-month trial covers items such as crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and ready-meal tops.
Residents already sort their rubbish into up to 11 containers under rules overhauled in 2024; the trial can raise that total to 12.
Critics say the system puts too much work on residents, and some say the containers are difficult to store or use.
Wales plans to expand kerbside soft-plastic recycling, while England has delayed its planned collection after councils raised concerns about readiness and recycling capacity.
The council has not decided whether to make the trial permanent.
Denbighshire County Council is asking about 4,500 homes to sort soft plastics for a three-month recycling trial.
The items include crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and ready meal tops.
Residents already sort their waste into as many as 11 containers after a 2024 overhaul of recycling rules.
The trial could bring the number of containers to 12, but the council says no decision has been made on making it permanent.
Some residents say the existing system is burdensome and creates storage and street-cleanliness problems.
- Who
- Denbighshire County Council is running the trial, involving residents in about 4,500 homes.
- What
- The trial asks residents to recycle soft plastics such as crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and ready meal tops.
- When
- The trial lasts three months. The article was published on 28 October 2026.
- Where
- Denbighshire, Wales.
- Why
- The trial is part of efforts to expand soft-plastic recycling; the sources do not state a more specific reason for selecting the area.
Denbighshire County Council
Critics among Denbighshire residents
Aspect
Denbighshire County Council
The council is trialling soft-plastic recycling and says it has not decided whether to make the scheme permanent.
Critics among Denbighshire residents
Residents quoted in the article say they already face too many containers and that the system is difficult to manage.
Aspect
Denbighshire County Council
The council says it is reviewing the policy on replacement cardboard sacks.
Critics among Denbighshire residents
Residents complain that the sacks fall apart and that replacements cost £12.50 and can take up to four weeks to arrive.
Denbighshire overhauled its recycling rules, requiring residents to sort waste into as many as 11 containers.
The Daily Mail reported that the council was running a three-month soft-plastics trial involving about 4,500 homes.
- Homes involved
- About 4,500
- Trial length
- Three months
- Items included
- Crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and ready meal tops
- Existing containers
- Up to 11
- Replacement cardboard sack cost
- £12.50
- General waste collection
- Once every four weeks
What people are saying
It's absolutely ridiculous the amount of bins we have
Putting your bins out has become a full-time job and especially in the fourth week when they all go out.
It's a chocolate teapot