Environmental groups concerned about Lidl's in-store recycling plan
Environmental groups have expressed concerns about supermarket giant Lidl's plan for new in-store bins for unwanted packaging.
The Sick of Plastic Campaign - which runs a shop and drop initiative - welcomed Lidl’s engagement but raised concerns its new bins conflict with the Government’s advice on what to put in recycling bins.
Lidl has committed to introducing segregated recycling stations at the end of customer checkouts in all 160 stores across the country.
They will be rolled out from the start of May and will be available across all stores by the month's end.
However, the environmental group said a three-stream recycling station which Lidl is planning to install in supermarkets conflicts with My Waste Ireland’s new recycling list put forward by the Government.
Claudia Tormey of the Sick of Plastic campaign said Lidl's new bins were 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,” she said.
However, a Lidl spokesperson said that through its commercial waste partners, the retailer would be in a position to recycle all types of clear plastic which differs from domestic recycling collection.
"Clear guidance on what items can be recycled will be displayed on all recycling stations that will be introduced to all stores in the coming weeks to avoid any confusion for consumers," a spokesperson said.
