Co-op stores across Wales, including Carmarthenshire, have joined the fight against plastic waste.

It has launched a soft plastic collection scheme in its stores across the county, making it easier for residents to recycle materials such as bread bags, lids from ready meals, biscuit wrappers and wrappers from pet food.

The new initiative has been rolled out in almost 100 of its food stores in Wales and the company says it now means that all of its Co-op branded packaging is 100 per cent widely recyclable.

Carmarthenshire Council collections only allow hard plastic in their blue kerbside recycling bags, so soft plastic such as crisp packets, pasta bags and chocolate wrappers are sent to landfill.

Soft plastic, when recycled, can be made into items such as heavy-duty outdoor plastic furniture and chemical recycling, which turns it back into oil, and can then be used for making new plastic resins for fuel and other purposes.

Staff at Llandeilo store were recently raising awareness of the scheme.

A spokesperson said: "Please rinse your packaging out, scrunch it up tight - if it pings back it's a useful indicator it's soft plastic - then pop it into a soft plastics recycling unit at Co-op near you."

Carmarthenshire stores with a recycling point are:

  • Ammanford
  • Llandeilo
  • Llandovery
  • Whitland
  • St Clears
  • Llangennech
  • Kidwelly
  • Felinfoel
  • Carmarthen - Jobs Well Road
  • Burry Port

Find out more: https://coop.uk/3rbrAwh