Crisp bag recycling scheme could save island a packet

Walkers recently launched a recycling scheme for the metallised plastic film packaging, after the public began posting crisps packets back to the company to highlight the fact that local councils do not recycle them.

‘We’re aiming to make all our packaging 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025,’ the company said.

‘In the meantime, we’ve partnered with recyclers TerraCycle to make it easier to recycle our crisp packets and reduce the impact we have on the environment.’

However, the company confirmed that while it had collection points across the UK, there are none in the Channel Islands and there was no news about whether the scheme would be extended here.

Recycling rates have been rising in Guernsey, with just over 50% of domestic waste now being recycled. But crisp packets are difficult to recycle and no facilities are available locally.

However, an STSB spokesman said they were keen to see if they could stop crisp packets going in people’s black sacks.

‘It is something we have been aware of and we are investigating it, the costs involved and how it could work,’ he said.

In the UK the Walkers scheme has seen hundreds of collection points set up where people can drop off their bags. Alternatively people with more than 400 bags can arrange for a free courier service to pick them, but this also does not extend to the Bailiwick. Any crisp packet brands are accepted. The bags are then cleaned, shredded and turned into pellets, which can then be used to make goods like park benches, plant pots, watering cans and fence posts.

Walkers produces about 7,000 crisp packets every minute and around 90% of the UK eat crisps regularly.

Each year the 66m. people in the UK eat about six billion packets of crisps. That is about 90 bags each. If Guernsey eats crisps at the same rate as the UK, the island would have to deal with 5.6m. crisp packets each year.