Soft Plastic Recycling: What You Need to Know

Soft plastics are one of the most confusing waste types for households across Ireland. From bread bags to crisp packets, many people are unsure what goes where and whether these materials can actually be recycled.

At Barna Recycling, we’re committed to making recycling simpler and more effective for our customers across Connacht. In line with national guidance from MyWaste.ie, we want to clear up the confusion and help you recycle soft plastics the right way.

The good news? Soft plastics can go in your recycling bin once they meet a few important conditions.

 

What are soft plastics? 

Soft plastics (also known as flexible plastics) are lightweight, bendable materials that don’t hold a rigid shape.

Unlike rigid plastics such as bottles and containers, they are typically used for packaging and are designed to be flexible and lightweight.

Common examples include bread bags, pasta and rice packaging, crisp and snack wrappers, frozen food bags, cling film and plastic wrap, and toilet roll wrapping.

However, not all soft plastics are created equal, and not all are recyclable through your household bin.

 

What You Can Put in Your Recycling Bin

In line with MyWaste guidelines, Barna Recycling customers can place clean, dry, and loose soft plastics in the recycling bin.

This includes:

• Bread bags
• Plastic wrapping from groceries
• Outer packaging from multipacks
• Soft plastic food packaging (non-foil backed)

Key rule: plastics must be clean, dry, and loose – not tied up in bags.

This is one of the most common mistakes we see. When recyclables are placed inside bags, they often cannot be sorted properly and may end up being rejected.

 

 

What You Should NOT Put in the Recycling Bin

To avoid contamination and ensure high-quality recycling, there are a few key exceptions:

❌ Foil and Foil-Backed Plastics

• Crisp packets
• Chocolate wrappers
• Foil-lined packaging

These are not recyclable in your recycling bin and should go into your general waste bin.

❌ Tin Foil

While aluminium is technically recyclable, we advise placing tin foil in your general waste bin.

Why? Because it’s often too difficult to ensure it is fully clean, and it requires significant processing to check for contamination.

❌ Dirty or Wet Plastics

Any plastic that contains food residue, grease, or moisture should not go into your recycling bin.

Examples:

• Sauce-covered packaging
• Greasy wrappers
• Unwashed food containers

These can contaminate entire batches of recycling, reducing the chances of materials being successfully reused.

 

Why “Clean, Dry and Loose” Matters

This isn’t just a guideline – it’s essential for effective recycling.

• Clean: prevents contamination
• Dry: avoids mould and degradation
• Loose: allows sorting systems to identify materials correctly

If materials are bagged or contaminated, they are far more likely to be rejected and diverted to landfill or energy recovery.

 

Practical tips to reduce soft plastic waste 

Recycling is important, but reducing waste in the first place is even better. Here are a few simple ways to cut down on soft plastics:

• Choose products with minimal or recyclable packaging
• Buy in bulk where possible
• Use reusable containers and bags
• Support brands with sustainable packaging

Even small changes in daily shopping habits can significantly reduce your overall waste over time.

 

Ready to Take Control of Your Waste?

Understanding what goes where is the first step towards better waste management.

If you’re looking for a reliable, environmentally responsible waste collection service in Connacht, Barna Recycling is here to help.

Not a customer yet? Start your journey towards smarter recycling today. Sign up here.

Tips For Reducing Your Use Of Plastic

Are you looking to reduce your use of single-use plastics in your home but not sure exactly how to start or just need a bit of inspiration as to alternatives you can use instead of going for the safe option of a e.g. plastic water bottle, then look no further, we’ll set out 8 steps you can take to start reducing plastic in your home today, and don’t worry they aren’t too drastic, just small changes that can make a big difference.

1. Carry reusable shopping bags

Do you often go to pick up some groceries and then have to pay for a plastic bag to get them home? Why not start carrying around reusable shopping bags? Pop some bags in the boot of your car or leave them beside your shopping list, somewhere you’ll remember to grab them on your way out on shopping days. And why not use them for more than just grocery shopping, use them for the likes of clothes shopping too!

2. Food packaging

Approximately 25% of domestic waste is from packaging. Supermarkets offer more biodegradable food packaging options instead of carrying some loose netting or reusable bags to pack fruit, veg, or baked goods.

3. Stop using plastic bottles of water

Why not invest in a reusable water bottle and bring this to work/ on walks/ to the gym and just generally when you are out and about, a lot of restaurants/ bars are happy to refill your reusable bottle for you when you’re on the go. Not to mention using a reusable bottle will save you a lot of money in the long run.

4. Use a reusable travel mug for tea/ coffee

Similar to the step above, bringing a reusable travel mug with you when getting take away teas/ coffees will help reduce your use of single-use plastics. And often times, if you are using a reusable cup the shop will give you a small discount on the cost of your drink.

5. Don’t get the little plastic table when ordering pizza

This is something many people wouldn’t even think of, but when ordering a takeaway pizza, ask the restaurant not to include a little plastic table in your pizza!

6. Cut back on frozen convenience foods

There is a lot of packaging used for frozen convenience foods, we aren’t saying stop buying them altogether, they are handy to have in, for busy evenings when you don’t have time to cook, but why not try cutting back on the number of frozen convenience foods you currently purchase.

7. Choose toilet paper not wrapped in plastic

A lot of toilet roll suppliers are now using an alternative to plastic wrapping, they are using paper which is much more widely recycled. Why not opt for these brands of toilet roll over the plastic-wrapped options.

8. Choose shampoo, not in plastic bottles

Some shampoo producers are working on innovative ways to produce their shampoo without using plastic bottles. You could do some research to find suppliers who are moving away from the use of plastic bottles and find one you like.

These are just some simple ideas to get you started on reducing the use of single-use plastics in your home.