Sick of Plastic concerned about Lidl recycling bins

Supermarket chain Lidl has unveiled new in-store bins for unwanted packaging just days before the second ‘Shop and Drop’ day of action on supermarket packaging.

The Sick of Plastic Campaign, which runs the Shop and Drop initiative, has welcomed Lidl’s engagement but has raised concerns that their new bins conflict with the Government’s advice on what to put in our recycling bins.

The three stream recycling station which Lidl are planning to install in supermarkets across Ireland conflicts with My Waste Ireland’s new recycling list, which Minister Bruton advocated for as part of a campaign to reduce contamination in recycling bins.

Claudia from the Sick of Plastic campaign commented:

“Lidl’s new bins are confusing because not all clear plastic is recyclable. According to My Waste Ireland soft plastic cannot be recycled in Ireland – only rigid plastic can be recycled. This will only confuse customers even more; waste management is already a mine-field.

“It’s great to see Lidl respond to customer demands, but it might be better for them to mirror the household waste so customers can dispose of their unwanted packaging correctly in-store.”

Environmental campaigners welcome Lidl’s efforts, and encourage more supermarkets to engage in steps towards eliminating excess plastic packaging.

Mindy, Coordinator of VOICE Ireland, commented:

“I would be happy to work with Lidl and other supermarkets to improve how they manage their waste. We can work together to reduce and eventually eliminate unnecessary packaging.”

Supermarkets are making positive steps, but still much more needs to be done to tackle plastic waste. Groups all across the country are committed to keeping the pressure on supermarkets until they meet customer demands.

Oisin Coghlan, Director of Friends of the Earth, commented:

“Shop and Drop is a simple action for the public to demonstrate their frustrations and show supermarkets that they need to do more to phase out single use plastics.

“Disposing of packaging in the supermarket is merely a stop gap, it is not the solution. The solution is for supermarkets to give shoppers the choice to avoid plastic in the first place.”

Sick of Plastic are launching ‘Shop and Drop Supermarket Spree’ [1] this Saturday April 13th, over 50 groups and 300 individuals have registered on the online platform and are ready to take action against excess supermarket packaging.

Results from Sick of Plastic’s supermarket audit [2] finds Lidl and Supervalu to be doing more in response to the campaign’s six supermarket demands [3]. Aldi, Tesco and Dunnes Stores are lagging behind. 

Visit www.changex.org/ie/sickofplastic to find out more about ‘Shop and Drop’.

ENDS

NOTES

[1] Online platform for Sick of Plastic local actions: www.changex.org/ie/sickofplastic

[2] Supermarket Audit: https://www.foe.ie/sickofplastic/supermarket-plastic-audit.html

[3] Sick of Plastic’s 6 Demands on how supermarkets can break free from plastic:

1. Offer more items without packaging, such as fruit and vegetables (without plastic trays, wrapping and nets)
2. Make own-brand packaging easily compostable or recyclable, and use less plastic
3. Demand, through purchasing power, that other brands have easily compostable or recyclable packaging, and use less plastic
4. Blaze a trail in Ireland by implementing a plastic free aisle, as has been done in the Netherlands
5. Provide items in bulk, where possible, to reduce packaging
6. Allow shoppers to use their own containers, buying only what they need