Plastic bags and wrapping recycling trial

Residents in Swansea already recycle 70% of their waste, but we want to help you recycle even more.

We're inviting around 22,000 homes to take part in the trial. The residents we're inviting live in a mix of housing types and areas so that we're able to get a good and fair understanding of how different homes use the service.

The items we collect from you as part of the trial will be recycled into new products, such as 'bags for life' and bin bags. This will reduce our reliance on new or 'virgin' materials to create single-use plastic products like these and enable us to recycle more of our waste from home.

The trial will take place over nine months, ending on Wednesday 24 December 2025.

The areas taking part in the trial are as follows:
 
Tuesday collection

• Blaenymaes
• Fforestfach
• Gowerton (parts of)
• Penlan
• Penllergaer
• Pontlliw
• Ravenhill
• Waunarlwydd

Wednesday collection 

• Clydach
• Cockett
• Craig Cefn Park
• Glais
• Hafod
• Mayhill
• Townhill (parts of)

Please note that deliveries will be completed to the different areas on a phased basis on weekends throughout May. Flats that use wheeled bins for their recycling collection will not be included in the trial.

You can check if your street is included in the trial by using our recycling search which will display a 'Blue bag trial' notice for those taking part.

What should I do?

If you live in one of the areas taking part in the trial, we will deliver a roll of blue bags and a leaflet to your home. If you do not receive these bags or leaflet then you are not included in the trial area.

The leaflet asks you to carry out the following actions during the trial period:

1. Place empty plastic bags and wrapping items in a blue bag
2. Once filled, tie your bag securely with a double knot to prevent its contents from escaping
3. Place your bag next to your pink bag for plastics on your fortnightly 'pink week' collection day. Please do not place your blue bag inside your reusable pink bag.

Please place items loosely inside your blue bags; don't put one item inside another, as this makes it difficult to sort your items when they're being processed for recycling.

You shouldn't need to put out more than one full blue bag each week throughout the trial, but if you need more bags, email us at evh@swansea.gov.uk or call us on 01792 635600.

What items should I put in my bags?

Please put the following items in your blue bags for plastic bags and wrapping:

• plastic carrier bags
• crisp and nut packets
• biscuit packets
• plastic chocolate bar and sweet wrappers
• pasta and rice bags
• breads bags
• cereal box liners
• plastic parcel/delivery bags
• plastic labels/wrappers from around drinks bottles
• plastic cat and dog food bags
• dry cleaning bags and bags covering new clothing
• plastic packaging used by retailers to deliver household items, such as appliances
• plastic garden compost and topsoil bags
• plastic wrapping used for crisp, nut and sweet multipacks
• ready-packed fruit, salad and vegetable bags
• thin plastic bags for loose fruit, salad and vegetable items
• film, such as ready meal lids and yoghurt pot lids
• freezer bags
• frozen food bags
• magazine and newspaper wrapping
• multipack wrapping and rings from bottle and can multipacks
• wrapping from around toilet and kitchen roll packs

Please ensure your plastic bags and wrapping items are empty and give them a quick rinse to remove as much food residue as possible.

What items should I NOT put in my bags?

Please DON'T put the following items in your bags for plastic bags and wrapping:

• cling film
• polystyrene or foam
• crisp tubes (accepted at recycling centres)
• sharing bags or pouches used for chocolates or sweets
• pouches or sachets used for cleaning products, such as dishwasher or laundry capsules or tablets
• plastic netting used to package fruit and vegetables
• plastic punched pockets, such as 'Poly Pockets'
• plastic straws or cutlery
• disposable gloves or masks
• balloons
• blister packs, that is, the plastic packaging used for pills and tablets

Please continue to put these items in your black bags for non-recyclable waste.

We won't collect your blue bags if they contain incorrect items or contain food or liquid.