Households in England will wait longer before they can put flexible plastics — carrier bags, cling film and soft packaging — out for kerbside recycling. The government has confirmed the mandatory deadline for councils to collect these materials has shifted from 31 March 2027 to 1 April 2030, according to Circular Online.
Defra informed local authorities of the delay as part of a broader release of guidance on Simpler Recycling rules. Those rules already require councils to collect food and garden waste, paper and card, glass, metal and rigid plastics. Flexible films and packaging had been the next scheduled addition.
The Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) cited a shortage of sorting facilities and domestic end markets for the material as the key reasons behind the postponement. Its chair, Gareth Rollings, said the additional three years must be used to build the necessary infrastructure so that councils have a properly funded and supported system in place before the new deadline arrives.
Source: Circular Online