Packaging

Have you tried a zero waste shop for significantly cutting down on your packaging waste from everyday supermarket items? Take a look at the South London Partnership's Zero Waste Map to find your closest shop. 

​

And if you do have packaging to throw away at home, why not donate it to a local business which could use it instead? Check out Packshare. 

​

Cut down on plastic waste from disposable water bottle by joining the Refill movement. Residents- download the Refill app to find the latest refill station near you and businesses- signup to become a refill point.

 

Below is a list of locations that accept waste packaging that is currently not included in kerbside collection:

 

Co-op now takes soft plastic packaging. Click here for a list of soft plastic packaging they accept.

​

Any pharmacist will take medicine blister packs.

​

Terracycle is a national scheme that joins with brands and manufacturers to create free programmes to recycle numerous items. It is typically specific to the brands which are part of the programme and does not apply to all brands.  Local venue (homes, schools, businesses) can sign up to be drop off points.

To find a terracycle drop off point near you, please visit their webpage

​

The following items can be dropped off at Terracycle points in and around Merton (please note, as mentioned above, these may be subject to change)

​

Baby food pouches and snack packets, Acuvue Contact lens, blister packs & foil covers, air freshener, home and laundry care, Aqua optima water filters, Baylis and Harding, Hovis bread bags, Burts Bees personal care, Carex, Colgate oral care, Confectionery (sweet packets), Packaging for ground coffee, Crisp packets, Danone yoghurt pouches, Deciem beauty products (all brands), Febreze air freshener, Flash wipes, cloths and pads, Kimtech apparel, Kinder packaging, KP snacks (nuts, popcorn, crisps and pretzel packets), Lavazza eco cap, Lilys kitchen Pet food recycling, L'Occitane, LOL Surprise plastic wrapping, Garnier, Pet food wrappers, Pladis biscuits and snacks, Pringles can, RB Hygiene, Ring carrier (from cans etc.), Spontex disposable gloves, Swisse Me, Tassimo coffee pods, Weleda UK, Zuru Bunch o'balloons.

​

You can also find the owners and users of drop of points on their social media pages:

Mitcham Household Terracycle

West Wimbledon Terracycle

Other Terracycle locations nearby are Colliers Wood, Southfields, New Malden, Tolworth- if any of these groups have social media pages we are not aware of, then please get in touch and we will be happy to add them here.

​

Dolce Gusto take used coffee pods
 

Nespresso provides 3 ways to recycle their used coffee pods

• Drop off the used pods to a Nespresso boutique

• Drop off to a CollectPlus location

• Arrange a complimentary collection service from your home

• Free recycling bags can be obtained from Nespresso boutiques, add it to your basket when placing your order online

​

You can also find several brands online that sell bio-degradable coffee pods nowadays.

​

To donate for reuse:

​

Bubble wrap

• Work & Play scrapstore can take them.

Jiffy bags and Envelopes

• You can offer them on social media sites

Plastic bottles

• Check out Eco bricks and go to the gobrik website (to register your ecobrick, so you can make it available for local projects).

 

Plastic wrapping (e.g. large amounts from dry cleaners)

• Can be given to local art colleges to cover their clay sculptures to prevent them from cracking.

​

Jam jars

• The local food growing charity Abundance Wimbledon often accept these. They may have limited capacity to please check with them. 
   

Takeaway food containers

Salvation Army drop in centre on Kingston Road may use them (they offer meals to the homeless and so have a use for containers, please call to check before dropping off)

​

Amazon has a low packaging option. Check out their frustration free packaging service.