Where to Recycle Bulk Bags in the UK

Quick Guide to UK Bulk Bag Recycling Routes

Can Bulk Bags Be Recycled?

Most of your FIBCs are made from woven polypropylene (often shown by plastic resin code 5 or “PP”). And yes, polypropylene can be mechanically recycled so long as it’s clean enough and your recycler has the right equipment and end market.

Recycling normally turns your fabric into flakes or pellets for new plastic products. (What it’s then used for depends on its quality, colour and any contamination).

Your bag isn’t always made up of the same material. Your liners, document pockets, closures, labels and printing might need to be removed or dealt with differently. But don’t just dismantle your bags – ask your recycler how they want you to prepare them.

(Find out more about fabric and construction in our guide to how FIBC bulk bags are made.)

Where Can Households Recycle Bulk Bags?

You can’t usually add your large builders’ bags to standard kerbside recycling bins or supermarket film collection points, because of their size, woven construction and possible residue.

Your local HWRC might take a clean bag as plastic packaging, but not always. It’s worth using the Recycle Now locator or your council’s website – and if your site doesn’t list “bulk bags”, “builders’ bags” or “woven polypropylene”, then get in touch to check.

Before you go, check whether your bags have to be empty and dry, and if you need proof of address, a booking or a van permit.

If you’ve used your bags for a business or trade job, you can’t take them to a household site (unless your council has a paid commercial-waste service). Any waste from builders, landscapers, farms, shops etc is business waste, even if you’ve done the work at a residential address.

Where Can Businesses Recycle FIBC Bulk Bags?

You’ve got three main ways:

1. Specialist Plastics or FIBC Recyclers

Often your best bet for regular quantities of clean, separated bags. Some arrange collections, others take deliveries.

The British Plastics Federation recycler directory is really useful. But remember to get in touch before you book and check that they take woven polypropylene FIBCs.

They might ask you for photos, last contents, polymer kind and rough weight. And they’ll often ask you to flatten, sort and bale your bags – because loose FIBCs take up a lot of space.

2. Commercial Waste Contractors

Your normal waste contractor might be able to add your bulk bags to their source-separated plastics collection. Ask them where your bags will go and whether they’ll be mechanically recycled. If you put them in general waste, they might go to energy recovery or disposal instead.

Use a registered waste carrier and make sure you keep all your documents. In England and Wales, all of your non-hazardous waste loads need a waste transfer note or document with that info. (And you’ll need to keep your copies for at least two years.)

3. Supplier Take-Back or Closed-Loop Programmes

If you constantly handle a lot of the same FIBC, it’s well worth asking your supplier or customer about a return programme (where all known bags are kept within a controlled supply chain).

Some programmes recycle your bags after one trip. Others give you purpose-designed multi-trip FIBCs that are returned, cleaned, inspected and tracked before reuse. (Just remember never to reuse your standard single-trip bag, even if it looks undamaged.)

Where Can Farms Recycle Fertiliser and Feed Bulk Bags?

Agricultural plastic schemes collect your materials that ordinary household services won’t take. Depending on who you go with, it could be fertiliser bags, seed bags, feed bags, bale wrap, silage film and rigid farm plastics.

Some good options are: FarmXS, Agri.Cycle and Solway Recycling. They’ll all have different covered areas, charges and accepted materials, so double check that they take FIBCs.

It’s really important that you don’t assume your “empty” fertiliser or chemical bag is non-hazardous. Always go by your product label, safety data and collection scheme’s instructions. If your bag’s got residues of dangerous substances, it might need specialist classification and handling.

How to Prepare Your Bulk Bags for Recycling

• Empty each bag completely. Remove your product, any dust and loose residue (making sure it doesn’t lead to unsafe exposure).
• Keep your bags dry. Store them indoors or under cover, off the ground and away from rain.
• Separate by previous contents. Don’t mix your clean food or polymer bags with bags you’ve used for cement, fertiliser, chemicals or waste.
• Sort by material and colour if asked. Keep your woven PP separate from your pallet wrap, polyethylene liners and other plastics.
• Remove liners only when asked to. Your loose liner could be a different polymer and need to be recycled differently.
• Flatten or bale your bags. Follow your recycler’s spec and use the right equipment.
• Keep a record. Note down your bag type, original contents, number of bags and rough weight.

It’s crucial that you never shake or clean your bag in a way that’ll release hazardous dust. Go by the controls you were given for your original product and if you’re not sure, ask your waste contractor.

What Kind of Contamination Stops My Bulk Bag Being Recycled?

It really depends on your recycler and your material. One place might accept light dust that can be removed, but another might only take clean white bags.

Your bags can also often be rejected if there’s chemical or oil residue, hardened cement or plaster, excessive soil or food contamination, mould, mixed polymers, trapped objects and unknown previous contents.

The colour and printing on your bag can also affect the value and end market for its recycled plastic. Some places describe clean white bags as a ‘higher grade’ and dirty or coloured bags as a ‘lower grade’ – but there’s no set standard that’s used by every UK recycler. So your coloured bag isn’t automatically unrecyclable. Check with your recycler whether they can process it.

What If My Bag Held Chemicals or Hazardous Materials?

Don’t send your contaminated bag through an ordinary plastics collection. If there’s residue of dangerous substances, it could be classified as hazardous waste, so you’d need a specific contractor to handle it.

So your clean plastic packaging might use waste code 15 01 02, but your packaging with residues of or contaminated by dangerous substances might fall under 15 01 10*. It really depends on your product and contamination, so make sure you get advice from your waste contractor – don’t just decide the code yourself.

Your contractor should tell you how you need to contain and document your bags – and remember to never wash your chemical residue into drains or onto the ground.

Check That Your Waste Carrier Is Registered

You always have a duty of care to make sure your waste goes to an authorised person and destination. Make sure you’ve checked the public register before handing your bags over:

• England: Environment Agency waste carrier register
• Wales: Natural Resources Wales waste carrier register
• Scotland: SEPA waste carrier and broker register
• Northern Ireland: DAERA public registers

This’ll tell you that the place you’ve picked is authorised to carry or arrange your waste. It’s really important to also check that your receiving site is permitted for your material, and to keep hold of all your waste transfer or consignment paperwork.

Reuse, Recycle, Recover or Dispose?

When it comes to waste in the UK, we’re aiming for prevention first, followed by preparing for reuse, then recycling, then other recovery and, finally, disposal. So ‘energy recovery’ isn’t the same as recycling – and recycling should always be our aim.

So as and when you can, try to reduce your waste by specifying the right bag and avoiding unnecessary damage, and, where possible, go for a purpose-designed multi-trip system. Once your bag’s no longer safe or reusable, material recycling is your best next step.

If you can’t recycle because your bags are contaminated or there’s no way to process them, a licensed waste contractor will give you the safest way to legally recover or dispose of them.

Talk to Us About Bulk Bag Recycling

It’s easier to manage your recycling if you think about it when you’re choosing your bag. Your bag’s colour, coatings, liners, printing, safety factor and what it’s carrying can all affect your reuse and end-of-life options.

We supply bulk bags and FIBCs for a wide range of industries. Talk to our expert team to find the right bag for your business.