Bread bags, sweet wrappers, cling film and bubble wrap can now go loose in Watford's blue-lidded bin. Pouches, blister packs and bags of other items cannot.

Watford households can now put soft plastics in their blue-lidded recycling bin. Bread bags, sweet wrappers, cling film, bubble wrap and fruit nets all go in loose, with the rest of the mixed recycling.

Watford Borough Council announced the change on 4 November. It runs from this month, with Veolia, which collects the borough’s bins. Before this, soft plastics were not collected from Watford homes at all.

Nothing else about your collection changes. The blue-lidded bin is still emptied fortnightly, on your usual day. You can check your bin day on our page.

Council graphic showing soft plastics going into a green bin with a blue lidA Watford Borough Council green recycling bin with a blue lid

2 photos, swipe or scroll. Photos: supplied by Watford Borough Council

What you can put in

The council’s guidance page lists these as accepted:

  • empty plastic bags, including bread bags
  • sweet and confectionery wrappers
  • foil-lined packaging
  • cheese, fish and meat wrapping
  • outer bags and wrapping
  • plastic films and sleeves
  • bubble wrap and cling film
  • fruit and vegetable nets

Its rule of thumb: if the empty plastic can be scrunched in your hand, and either springs back or stays scrunched, it is probably a soft plastic.

What still cannot go in

  • pouches and sachets
  • balloons
  • pill and tablet packaging, including blister packs
  • compostable or biodegradable bags
  • plastic bags with other things inside them
  • disposable gloves and masks
  • foam and polystyrene
  • plastic straws and cutlery
  • plastic textiles and clothing

Pouches are the item most likely to catch people out: they feel like a soft plastic, but they are on the council’s no list.

The council has made two short videos on what counts:

What Are Soft Plastics?, a short video from Watford Borough Council
Soft Plastics Yes vs No Tips, a short video from Watford Borough Council

Loose, clean and dry

Everything must be empty, clean and dry, and it goes in loose. Do not stuff wrappers into a carrier bag and put the bag in the bin.

The council is blunt about why. A bin with bags of other items inside it “will be treated as contaminated and may not be emptied”. The same applies if it contains anything that is not recyclable.

Bins need to be at the kerb by 6am on collection day.

What it means for you

  • Your black bin should get lighter. Film, wrappers and empty bags from the food shop can now be recycled from home.
  • Check before you throw in a pouch or a blister pack. They are the items most likely to get a bin rejected.
  • Questions go to Veolia at enquiries.watford@veolia.co.uk or on 020 3567 6900, the contacts the council gives. Full guidance is at watford.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling.

Why it is happening now

Every council in England will soon have to do this. Under the government’s Simpler Recycling rules, “plastic film packaging and plastic bags will need to be collected with plastic recycling from 31 March 2027”. Watford has started about five months ahead of that deadline.

The Elected Mayor, Peter Taylor, said the council had seen how much residents already recycle. “Seeing this commitment from residents has encouraged us to expand the service and start collecting soft plastics too,” he said. “We hope this makes recycling even easier and helps people recycle more from home.”

Darren Harding, Regional Manager at Veolia, said: “Collecting soft plastics directly from doorsteps will make recycling even easier for residents, supporting a more sustainable future for Watford and contributing to greater environmental security for future generations.”

The council says recycled soft plastic can be made into packaging, bags for life, boxes and bins, and materials used in farming and construction.

Sources