Two industry leading horticultural brands have joined forces to provide gardeners in Shepton Mallet with a solution to plant pot recycling, preventing further plastic waste ending up in landfill.

Sustainable plant pot designer, elho, has joined forces with nationwide garden centre retailer, Dobbies to provide plastic plant pot recycling bins across 69 of its centres including Shepton Mallet. This will make it easier than ever to reduce unnecessary plastic waste in the garden and prevent further plastic waste ending up in landfill.

It has been widely reported that kerbside recycling of plant pots is challenging. Policies vary significantly from council to council, particularly when it comes to black plant pots, which can leave gardeners at a loss with what to do with their disregarded pots.

Now gardeners can simply take their plastic plant pots and trays to Dobbies Shepton Mallet store for them to be recycled. The bins provide a simple means of disposing of plant pots in a convenient and environmentally friendly way, rather than having them clutter up garden sheds or adding to landfill.

This comes as new research from Dobbies Garden Centres reveals that 37% of gardeners in the South West want to recycle more of their garden waste products this spring.

The survey was based on responses from 2003 UK adults including 209 from the South West between March 4 and March 7 2022.

Both companies are champions of sustainability with industry-leading green initiatives, and the plastic pot recycling bins are the latest innovation in this. elho places nature at its core and boasts a number of sustainable credentials, including the production of only 100 per cent recyclable plant pots that are made from recycled materials, using 100% renewable wind energy from the company's very own wind-powered factory in the Netherlands. Last year alone, the company recycled more than 13 million kilograms of recycled plastic to create its beautifully designed pots.

Chris Buck, Northern Account Manager at elho, explained: "We're pleased to be working on this initiative with Dobbies to encourage gardeners to recycle their plant pots, and to make it incredibly easy for them to do so. It's great to be working together to collect plastic garden waste and give it a second lease of life, instead of sending mountains of it to landfill. We wanted to help provide gardeners with a simple, convenient solution to dispose of their plant pots in an environmentally friendly way. When visiting the centre to buy more plants, simply return your old pots – it couldn't be easier!"

Dobbies' goal is for the initiative to provide customers with the knowledge that plant trays and pots they have purchased are recyclable in store. Like elho, Dobbies is committed to delivering environmentally friendly practices, products and sustainable solutions.