A father and son from Rushden, Northamptonshire, have managed to fill less than half their black wheelie bin with waste over six months after pledging to recycle all their soft plastic.
George and his son Jake were inspired by Greenpeace's Big Plastic Count. They have further reduced their waste by getting refills of goods such as herbs, pasta and washing-up liquid since starting the challenge on 19 October.
Jake said counting their plastic use for a week during the Big Plastic Count revealed that much of their plastic was soft. George added that after changing their habits a little, they did not find it too hard.
The biggest change has been collecting all soft plastic, including carrier bags, crisp packets and citrus fruit nets. George, a tree surgeon, fills empty bread bags with plastic, ties them up like balloons, and takes them to a Co-op shop once a week, as the store accepts all soft plastics for recycling without separation.
North Northamptonshire Council currently asks residents to put non-recyclable rubbish such as soft plastic into general refuse bins. Some rigid plastics, like bottles, margarine tubs and food trays, can go in recycling wheelie bins. The family has also started gathering tin foil into a large ball to make it easier to recycle, and nine-year-old Jake now separates the outer plastic film from the inner tin foil on sweet packaging.
George said it has been a good team effort, as Jake is keen on living more sustainably. The family now intends to extend the challenge for another six months.
