Plastic recycling improved from Monday 14 October.

For many years across Greater Manchester (with the exception of Wigan), the only type of plastic collected for recycling was plastic bottles.

This is because plastic bottles are made from high-quality plastics (PET and HDPE) which are widely recycled by plastics reprocessors in the UK, however, there were limited sustainable markets for other types of plastic packaging.

By April 2026, the government requires all councils in England to recycle a consistent set of materials as part of its Simpler Recycling Policy. This means that wherever you live in England you will be able to recycle the same at work and at home.

As part of the government’s drive to improve recycling, several other policies are also being introduced to simplify the process, encouraging manufacturers to design packaging that is more easily recycled and to make packaging out of recycled materials to close the loop.

Due to these changes, Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) is upgrading its materials recovery facility where mixed recycling is sorted and separated. This will allow us to collect and sort a wider range of plastic packaging.

Marking National Recycle Week, from Monday 14 October all residents living in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford will be able to recycle plastic pots, tubs, and trays, as well as plastic bottles in their mixed recycling bin at home.

This means that the following materials can be put in recycling bins at home:

• Plastic pots (e.g. yoghurt, soup, cosmetics, etc)
• Plastic tubs (e.g. margarine, laundry powder, etc)
• Plastic trays including black plastic trays (e.g. raw and cooked meat, fruit and veg punnets, etc)
• Plastic bottles (e.g. milk, pop, bleach, cleaning products, trigger sprays, shampoo)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Food tins and drink cans
• Aerosols
• Foil

No plastic film, carrier bags, crisp packets, or pet food pouches. 

All items must be clean and empty of any food or drink.