Blue bags can take a variety of recyclable items, such as tins, plastic bottles and milk cartons. But they have also been subject to misuse, with incorrect items like crisp packets, plastic film, carrier bags and pet food pouches being included.
In a bid to stop the problem, refuse contractors for the parishes have been clamping down on bags that contain film or other contamination. They were left behind at the gates, along with a green sticker explaining why they had not been collected.
States waste minimisation and sustainability officer Douglas Button said feedback suggested it was having the desired effect.
‘What we are trying to do is simply draw attention to the issue. We know that the vast majority of households are really doing their best, and trying to do the right thing,’ he said.
‘Unfortunately there is a lot of confusion around plastic items, and it is not helped that some are labelled as being recyclable, when currently they can’t be. The problem is not unique to Guernsey.’
He said that he understood there was initially some surprise, and probably annoyance, that a lot of bags had been left behind.
‘But if you put out the wrong materials and they get picked up, you naturally assume you have put in the correct items,’ he said. ‘The only way to break the cycle is to leave it behind. The feedback suggests the message is getting out there, and the response has been very positive. The parish contractor who began stickering first reported having to reject far fewer bags in subsequent weeks. And that is what we were hoping for.’
Due to the levels of contamination, blue bags currently have to undergo additional sorting at extra cost to avoid materials being rejected by processors.
Mr Button said that reducing the current level of contamination would reduce the cost of sorting the materials. It will also improve the quality of recycling, so there is less chance of it being rejected by processors.
Thin film plastics should be placed in general waste. As they are lightweight and easily compressed, that should not be an issue in black bags.
‘Doing the right thing will actually reduce the overall cost to islanders.’
Dirty containers that still have food contents or residues are also likely to be left behind, as these items are deemed by processors as contamination, and cause problems when sorting, but they can be included in blue bags if clean.
Rigid plastic items such as toys and electricals should also not be included in kerbside recycling bags.
Clear bags tend to have fewer contamination issues. However, households are being reminded that tissues and kitchen roll are not recyclable, and any bags that contain these items may be rejected.
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