Report to support local authorities with implementation of flexible plastics recycling

A new Valpak by Reconomy report will provide essential costings and advice for local authorities tasked with the large-scale roll-out of flexible plastics recycling.

From 31 March 2027, local authorities will be required to collect plastic film packaging and plastic bags from households. The research, which was commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA), will explore prospective end markets, provide practical guidance on how to incorporate plastic film into local authority waste collection services, and assess costs.

Cllr Arooj Shah, environment spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: “Councils are committed to expanding recycling and helping residents do the right thing with plastic film, but this is a significant new duty at a time of severe financial pressure. This research will give local authorities clear, independent evidence on costs, service options and end markets, helping them plan new collections with confidence and make the case for the long-term funding and infrastructure needed to deliver real environmental benefits.”

The project will review existing data and evidence on plastic film recycling, as well as identifying and analysing gaps in the data, such as for recycling from communal properties. Valpak will also assess the risks that these data gaps create for councils in planning, operations, and costs.

James Skidmore, Director of Consulting at Valpak, said: “Any large-scale service change should be grounded in sound evidence and local authorities need to understand costs to set balanced budgets. This project will provide the independent analysis around costs and logistics that will help councils to incorporate plastic film into their current waste collection services. It builds on recent analysis for Defra of plastic placed on the market as part of our PackFlow suite of reports.”

The report will be published in early 2026. 

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Editors notes

Valpak’s mission is to create a sustainable, waste-free world. We build on today, but we are driven by tomorrow.

We help our clients to reduce waste and recycle more, continually innovating and using leading data science and expertise to inspire businesses and organisations, and help push our industry forward. We don’t just show our customers how to navigate waste regulations; we help them become more sustainable, through our ever-increasing capabilities and pioneering innovations.

Valpak is the largest environmental compliance scheme in the UK. We work with major names, such as Aldi, Tesco, ASOS, and Miele, and manage compliance for more than 2,000 businesses. In 2022, it celebrated its 25thanniversary.

Valpak is part of Reconomy, an international circular economy specialist that combines technology, skills and incredible people to build sustainability ‘loops’ that create circular opportunities for business. This is achieved through a tech-enabled, people-powered approach that helps Reconomy’s customers to better manage their resources, reduce waste, optimise their supply chains, and contribute in a meaningful way towards the circular economy.

Valpak services include:

o   Compliance under Waste Packaging, WEEE, and Battery Directives.

o   Data insights.

o   International compliance.

o   Consultancy.

o   Accreditation under environmental schemes, such as Zero Waste to Landfill. 

Valpak invests in pioneering systems and expertise which enable its customers to analyse, assess and improve product design. The Product Data Hub, Insight Platform and dedicated teams work together to drive change.