Forum home› The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Recycling compost bags

Lynn WallisLynn Wallis Posts: 1
in The potting shed
Do any garden centres take back compost bags for recycling? They are far too big to go into carrier bag recycling facilities at supermarkets. Thanks
«134

Posts

  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    I contacted B&Q and Wickes to ask this (I know they're not garden centres but I was also asking about sand and gravel bags) and the answer was no. I reuse loads - for leaf mould, my own compost etc etc, but the rest I plan to split, hose down and fold in with the supermarket carrier bag / bread bag recycling.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    They are indeed super useful in the garden as they are so strong. I too use them for storing my compost, gravel, leaves. Good for taking stuff to the dump. And for lining planters and all sorts. I give and sell quite a lot of large plants and shrubs and they are great for transplanting between gardens. I keep them rolled up in the shed for future use and they don't take up much space rolled.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    edited June 2019
    Rather too late I thought to turn them inside out so that I don't go thinking that they contain what it says out the outside! But now I've started doing that everything looks a lot neater.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I use them until they disintegrate. They are so useful.
  • LucidLucid Posts: 387
    Are they definitely ok to go in the supermarket plastic recycling bins? If so that's great as I've got a pile of them building up where we're making some new flowerbeds. 

    Lucid :)
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I never throw away compost bags, they are too useful.  Wouldn't be without mine.
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Lucid said:
    Are they definitely ok to go in the supermarket plastic recycling bins? If so that's great as I've got a pile of them building up where we're making some new flowerbeds. 

    Lucid :)
    I don't know for sure, @Lucid, but I was told you could give them any 'stretchy' plastic (ie: like carrier bags & bread bags) but not the harder, crinkly film type bags - sorry, not very technical explanation! Some compost bags, especially the b small ones, are 'crinkly', but most are stretchy. 
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • LucidLucid Posts: 387
    Thanks @LG_. I've actually just been looking up on the following page and am surprised at everything they take at those carrier bag recycling points:

    https://www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/plastic-film

    I never realised you could recycle as much as that there so am now feeling very guilty. 

    Lucid :)
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    Recyclenow is a brilliant resource isn't it? We started recycling much more plastic a year or two ago once we'd looked into it much more. It's horrific how much we still generate, even with many efforts to avoid buying stuff wrapped in plastic. But our general waste bin is now only about 1/2 to 2/3 full every two weeks (a small bin, not a wheelie) so that's something. And our plastic recycling is gradually reducing too. Having a go at Terracycle and ecobricks is next.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    pansyface said:
    I give them away on freegle.
    Ordinary compost bags? As useful as I find them, it hadn't occurred to me to do that. Excellent.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
Sign In or Register to comment.