Recycling
Polyprint Mailing Films takes environmental issues very seriously and actively promotes the recycling of all suitable polythene products. We are (as far as we know) the only polythene producer that accepts waste polythene for recycling from the general public or other organisations in whatever quantity.
We hope the frequently asked questions below will answer any queries you may have. However, if you do wish to contact us regarding any of the points below, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sort of polythene do you accept?
We recycle both printed and unprinted polythene wrappers and bags etc from whatever source, provided all paper labels, sellotape, sticky residue, food remnants and foreign objects have been removed. The recycling codes that apply to our process are numbers 2 and 4.
What can’t you take?
Polythene marked as “degradable”. Unfortunately, this material acts as a pollutant to the recycling process. If any of this material is known to be present in a batch destined for recycling (e.g. some mailing wrappers, supermarket carrier bags, etc), then the whole batch is liable to be rejected and sent to a landfill site. Our facilities purely cover the handling of polythene rather than cellophane, PVC, nylon, PET etc.
How do I tell the difference?
Degradable polythene should be marked accordingly and other materials can normally be differentiated from polythene as they are usually glass clear in appearance and sound “crinkly” when touched. Polythene will also stretch fairly easily whereas the other products do not.
How do I package it?
The best way to ensure that your package is delivered safely is to either use a box or pack the wrappers flat / rolled.
It would be helpful if you could include your contact details and please clearly mark your package: For Recycling.
How do I get it to you?
Experience has shown that the best way of forwarding material to us is by 2nd class or parcel post, in which case, please ensure the correct postage is rate is used as the Post Office has advised us that they are removing several packages a day from our local delivery office and sending them to landfill due to insufficient postal rates.
What happens to the polythene?
It takes approximately 200,000 polythene mailing wrappers to make one tonne of recyclable waste, all of which have to be hand-sorted by our staff. After being recycled, the polythene can be used in various ways, often being turned into refuse bags, fertiliser sacks, chairs, benches, tables, pallets etc. Due to the low commercial value of waste polythene we do not make any money from this operation and are therefore unable to assist with carriage costs. We continue with the project as a service to the community and to help protect the environment.
Further information
For further information in our recycling service please email us at .
