Soft plastics and packaging waste

Quick overview

• Recycle your soft plastics at Carnegie North Woolworths in the Soft Plastics Recycling Trial.
• Soft plastics, including plastic bags and plastic wrappers, are not recyclable in the yellow bin.

Soft Plastics Recycling Trial by Taskforce

The major supermarkets Coles, Woolworth and Aldi have formed a Soft Plastics Taskforce. This is promising as the major retailers have a large influence over the use of recycled materials and promoting stronger end-markets. The Taskforce implemented 12 in-store collection points across Melbourne as part of the Soft Plastics Recycling Trial including one in Glen Eira:

• Carnegie North Woolworths, 2/20 Koornang Road, Carnegie, Melbourne VIC

What are the industry challenges with soft plastics?

The collapse of REDcycle has been an important reminder that the collection of packaging is only one step in the recycling process. Reliable, long-term soft plastics recycling programs are not able to succeed without sufficient recycling infrastructure and viable end markets for the recycled material. 

Industry funded programs that encourage Extended Producer Responsibility are an effective method for developing long-term, reliable recycling. Producers and manufacturers have an incentive to redesign packaging so it is more recyclable and less wasteful to begin with.

Producer responsibility for recycling of waste also promotes stronger end-markets and more use of recycled materials. Additionally, it means that the ongoing costs of these programs is covered by the companies responsible for creating the waste, rather than consumers and ratepayers.  

What is Council doing to reduce soft plastic waste going to landfill?

• We are continuing to investigate opportunities to support our community avoid waste and improve reuse and recycling as we transition to a circular economy.
• We are advocating on behalf of our community for State Government to invest in appropriate recycling infrastructure and systems that keep resources circulating in the community, including soft plastic materials.
• We are communicating with other councils and industry partners about this challenge. Many councils are currently looking for long-term solutions. Councils currently providing a collection point are only able to accept material from residents within their own municipality due to safe storage capacity limits of soft plastics. 
• We will keep our community up-to-date with any changes to soft plastics recycling. 

Reducing waste from the start

The disruption to soft plastics recycling has also been an important reminder about reducing the amount of disposable, single-use packaging made and used in our community.

Reducing waste from the start is a key part of moving to a circular economy and away from the current ‘take-make-waste’ way of doing things where materials are made into products we eventually throw away as waste.

Council endorsed the first Glen Eira Circular Economy Plan 2022-2026, which sets out how we’ll lead by example to manage resources more sustainably, support our community and advocate for broader change.

What can you do to reduce waste and manage soft plastics?

There are small actions you can take that make a big difference to household waste.

• Avoid — try to avoid packaging by using reusables or choosing unpackaged options. Check out your local fruit and vegetable store, farmers markets, delis and bulk food stores for unpackaged items and refill stations. There are many stores in Glen Eira that are happy for customers to bring and use their own clean containers.
• Reduce and recycle — if you can't avoid packaging, look for alternatives with less wrapping and recyclable options (eg. aluminium, glass, tin, cardboard and hard plastic containers). Check what items can go in your yellow and green bins and keep this in mind.
• Ask for change — have your say and advocate for sustainable changes. Let brands and companies know if you would like to see their packaging change. For example, you may like to see less packaging, more recycled and recyclable materials or reusable, refillable options.

Try these sustainable swaps

What should you do with soft plastics?

We understand that it's difficult to avoid all soft plastics and sometimes there are limited accessible alternatives. Thanks for doing your best to reduce waste wherever you can. For the soft plastics you do end up with:

• Please do not put soft plastics in the recycling bin. Soft plastics, plastic bags and wrappers are not recyclable in the yellow recycling bin and can get caught in recycling machinery.
• Either recycle soft plastics at participating trial stores such as Carnegie North Woolworths or dispose in the red general waste bin.

We will keep you updated with any changes to soft plastics recycling.

FAQs