Maya Ellison
Soft plastics are technically recyclable in Australia, but they can't be put into council recycling bins, so most end up in landfill. In Melbourne, a Soft Plastics Recycling Trial has been launched in 12 suburbs to test a model developed by supermarkets and the capacity of the recycling operators. The trial is being run by the Soft Plastics Taskforce and operates across five Woolworths, five Coles, and two Aldi supermarkets. Each store will have a collection bin with a yellow sign positioned at the front of the store. Other options for soft plastics recycling in Melbourne include the social enterprise Reground, which collects and reprocesses plastic locally, and RecycleSmart, which turns soft plastics into oil or asphalt additive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Soft plastics recycling trial locations | 12 Melbourne suburbs, including Carnegie North Woolworths |
| Supermarkets participating in the trial | Woolworths, Coles, ALDI |
| Collection bin location | Front of the store |
| Bin signage | Yellow sign |
| Soft plastics recyclers in Melbourne | Close the Loop, CRDC Global, Reground |
| Reground's soft plastic collection and recycling service | Collects soft plastics from cafes, offices, councils, and retailers and takes them to local recyclers |
| Victorian recycling partner's technology | Soft plastic pyrolysis technology to convert soft plastic back into oil |
| Recyclable materials | Aluminium, glass, tin, cardboard, hard plastic containers |
| Non-recyclable materials | Soft plastics, plastic bags, wrappers |
| Bins for non-recyclable materials | Yellow recycling bin |
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What You'll Learn
Soft plastics recycling trial in Melbourne
Soft plastics are technically recyclable in Australia, but they cannot be placed in council recycling bins. As a result, most soft plastics end up in landfills. To address this issue, a soft plastics recycling trial has been launched in 12 Melbourne suburbs. The trial aims to rebuild a national soft plastics recycling system and is being developed by the Soft Plastics Taskforce. It will operate across 12 supermarkets, including five Woolworths, five Coles, and two Aldi stores. Each participating supermarket will have a collection bin with a yellow sign positioned at the front of the store.
The trial will test the pilot model developed by the supermarkets and the processes and capacity of the recycling operators. Shoppers are encouraged to drop off small volumes of household soft plastics for recycling during their regular shop. It is important to ensure that only soft plastics are placed in the bins, as contamination by non-soft plastics such as paper, hard plastic, nappies, or food may result in the bin's contents being unable to be recycled.
The Soft Plastics Taskforce spokesperson highlighted the importance of this trial, stating that it is a crucial first step in testing the emerging soft plastic recycling industry. The trial will help ensure that the model is effective on a small scale before working towards a national industry-wide solution. This initiative follows the opening of new soft plastic recycling facilities by Close the Loop and CRDC Global in Melbourne, which has increased local recycling capacity.
Additionally, organisations like Reground are also playing a vital role in soft plastics recycling in Melbourne. Reground is a certified social enterprise that reinvests its profits into creating access to sustainable and circular waste and recycling practices. They collect and reprocess soft plastics locally, partnering with cafes, offices, councils, and retailers to divert soft plastics from landfills. Furthermore, their Victorian recycling partner uses Australia's first soft plastic pyrolysis technology to convert soft plastics back into oil, the base material for all plastic products. This process keeps recycling local and promotes a circular economy.
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Reground's soft plastic collection and recycling service
Reground is a Melbourne-based social enterprise that offers soft plastic collection and recycling services. The company works with cafes, offices, councils, and retailers to divert soft plastics from landfills and transform them into valuable resources through innovative recycling processes.
In Australia, soft plastics cannot be placed in council recycling bins, resulting in most of it (over 90%) ending up in landfills. Reground addresses this issue by collecting soft plastics from businesses and taking them to local recyclers. By doing so, they not only remove waste from workplaces but also help businesses understand how to minimise their use of soft plastics.
Reground's Victorian recycling partner uses Australia's first soft plastic pyrolysis technology to convert soft plastics back into oil, the base material for all plastic products. This oil can then be used to create new soft plastics, reducing the need for extracting crude oil to produce virgin plastics. This local recycling process ensures that the soft plastics collected stay within the local circular economy.
Reground is passionate about creating sustainable and circular waste and recycling practices that benefit the entire community. They reinvest their profits into developing solutions and providing strategies to reduce waste for businesses, councils, and commercial sites. By working with Reground, organisations invest in a movement that positively impacts the planet.
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Soft plastics recycling at Glen Eira City Council
Soft plastics are technically recyclable in Australia, but they cannot be placed in council recycling bins. As a result, most soft plastics end up in landfills. To address this issue, the Glen Eira City Council is advocating for the Victorian State Government to invest in appropriate recycling infrastructure and systems for soft plastic materials. The council is also in communication with other municipalities and industry partners to find a long-term solution to this issue.
In the meantime, the council encourages residents to reduce their use of soft plastics and to look for alternatives with less packaging or recyclable options, such as aluminium, glass, tin, cardboard, and hard plastic containers. They also recommend that residents ask for sustainable changes from brands and companies, such as reduced packaging, more recycled and recyclable materials, or reusable and refillable options.
For the soft plastics that residents cannot avoid using, the council advises against placing them in the yellow recycling bin as they can get caught in the recycling machinery. Instead, residents can take their soft plastics to local recyclers or participate in soft plastics recycling trials at select supermarkets.
One such trial is being conducted by the Soft Plastics Taskforce in partnership with Woolworths, Coles, and ALDI. As part of the trial, each of the participating supermarkets will have a collection bin with a yellow sign positioned at the front of the store. Residents can drop off small volumes of soft plastics, equivalent to what a regular household would generate in a week, to avoid overwhelming the recyclers. It is important to ensure that the soft plastics are not contaminated with non-soft plastics, such as paper, hard plastic, nappies, or food, as this may render the entire bin's contents unrecyclable.
Another option for soft plastics recycling is Reground, a certified social enterprise that collects and reprocesses soft plastics locally. Businesses and councils can work with Reground to support sustainable and circular waste and recycling practices.
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Soft plastics recycling in Kingston
Soft plastics are technically recyclable in Australia, but they cannot be placed in council recycling bins, which has resulted in most soft plastics ending up in landfills. However, residents of Kingston can take part in soft plastics recycling through the following methods:
Supermarket Collection Bins
As part of a trial to rebuild a national soft plastics recycling system, 12 Melbourne supermarkets, including five Woolworths, five Coles, and two ALDI stores, have collection bins with yellow signs positioned at the front of the store. Residents of Kingston can drop off their weekly household soft plastics at these stores during their regular shop.
Reground
Reground is a certified social enterprise that works with cafes, offices, councils, and retailers to provide a local soft plastic recycling solution. They collect and reprocess soft plastics locally, pushing for research and innovation in creating products from recycled materials.
RecycleSmart
RecycleSmart is a recycling hub that offers a second life to soft plastics by turning them back into oil or asphalt additive. They partner with vetted partners to find the best recycling solutions and help businesses reduce their environmental footprint.
It is important to note that when recycling soft plastics, only small volumes (in line with what a regular household would generate in a week) should be dropped off to avoid overwhelming the recyclers. Additionally, contamination by non-soft plastics such as paper, hard plastic, nappies, or food may result in the contents of the bin not being able to be recycled.
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Soft plastics recycling in supermarkets
Soft plastics cannot be placed in regular council recycling bins in Australia, resulting in most soft plastics ending up in landfills. However, there are now several options for soft plastics recycling in Melbourne.
Soft Plastics Recycling Trial
A Soft Plastics Recycling Trial has been launched in 12 Melbourne suburbs, with collection bins placed in 12 supermarkets, including five Woolworths, five Coles, and two ALDI stores. Each collection bin will have a yellow sign positioned at the front of the store. The trial aims to test the pilot model developed by the supermarkets and the capacity of the recycling operators. It is important to note that only small volumes of soft plastics should be deposited in the trial bins to avoid overwhelming the recyclers.
Reground
Reground is a certified social enterprise that offers a soft plastic collection and recycling service in Melbourne. They work with cafes, offices, councils, and retailers to divert soft plastics from landfills and support sustainable and circular waste practices.
RecycleSmart
RecycleSmart is another organisation that provides soft plastics recycling solutions. They partner with vetted organisations to find the best reuse or recycling options for various materials. Soft plastics collected through RecycleSmart are turned back into oil or asphalt additive.
Close the Loop and CRDC Global
Recently, new soft plastic recycling facilities by Close the Loop and CRDC Global have opened in Melbourne, providing additional capacity for soft plastics recycling in the city.
It is important to note that some local councils, such as the Glen Eira City Council and the City of Kingston, are also advocating for the development of appropriate soft plastics recycling infrastructure and systems. They are communicating with other councils and industry partners to find long-term solutions for soft plastics recycling.
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Frequently asked questions
Soft plastics can be recycled at 12 Melbourne supermarkets, including five Woolworths, five Coles, and two Aldi stores. Each store has a collection bin with a yellow sign at the front.
Soft plastics are collected and taken to local recyclers. The soft plastics are then sorted, weighed, and processed into new products. One method is pyrolysis technology, which converts soft plastics back into oil, which can then be used to create new soft plastics.
Soft plastics cannot be placed in regular council recycling bins in Australia, so most of it (more than 90%) ends up in landfills. By recycling soft plastics, we can divert waste from landfills and promote a circular economy.
When possible, avoid products with excessive packaging and opt for alternatives with less wrapping or recyclable packaging. You can also advocate for sustainable changes by letting brands and companies know that you would like to see less packaging and more recycled or recyclable materials.
Yes, Reground is a certified social enterprise in Melbourne that provides soft plastic recycling solutions. They collect and reprocess soft plastics locally, and any profits made are reinvested into creating access to sustainable and circular waste practices.
