Turning Soft Plastic into a Valuable Resource
Soft plastic recycling rates need to increase
Consumer soft plastic packaging includes a wide range of items, from packaging for food, groceries, and personal care products to household goods such as electronics, clothing, post bags, and bubble wrap.
Despite strong household interest in recycling, and approximately two-thirds (62%) of the soft plastic material placed in the Australian market being recyclable, soft plastic recycling rates in Australia have always been very low.
After 10 years of operations by 2022, REDcycle collections peaked at less than 2% of the material placed on the market.
By comparison, the recovery rates for rigid plastic packaging, like plastic drink and milk bottles, is higher, estimated at 28%. We can’t afford to delay; a transformative approach to soft plastics is critical.
Submit to our Request for Information (RFI)
Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA) is now inviting stakeholders across the soft plastics value chain to submit to our open Request for Information (RFI). This process is a vital step in shaping the future of Australia’s national soft plastics recycling scheme — a solution backed by strong public support, with Planet Ark’s recent research showing 79% of Australians believe having a scheme in place is important. The RFI seeks to identify current and emerging capability from organisations involved in collection, logistics, sorting, processing, end markets, technology and traceability. Submissions will help inform the implementation of the proposed scheme following ACCC authorisation. All responses will be treated in strict confidence and evaluated with transparency, fairness and independent oversight. If your organisation has a role to play in building a scalable, solution for soft plastics, we encourage you to participate.
We’re proud to present The Global Stewardship Playbook — a seven-session webinar series that brings Europe’s top experts to share proven strategies, governance and funding models for successful producer responsibility systems. Whether you’re shaping policy, designing sustainability targets, or leading a brand with plastic obligations, this series offers the inside track on how to avoid costly missteps and build resilient systems adapted for Australia and NZ.
Join the series, get ahead of the curve.
Secure your spot in Session 3 and start equipping your team with the frameworks that will define stewardship in this region.
Be Part of the Future of Soft Plastic
The more we collaborate, the bigger the impact. Help us create a sustainable, circular economy for soft plastics in Australia.
Proposed Actions to Fix the Recycling Problem
Increase recycling infrastructure.
Introduce easier ways for community to recycle their soft plastic packaging.
Increase demand for recycled products.
A soft plastic recycling solution for the future
To address and fund these actions, an independent not-for-profit product stewardship scheme is being established by Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia (SPSA). Building on the work of the retailer led Soft Plastic Taskforce and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) led National Plastic Recycling Scheme (NPRS), SPSA has been created to overcome the above challenges of soft plastic recycling and, subject to ACCC authorisation, plans to use levies raised from brand owners and retailers to fund areas of market failure across the supply chain. The scheme levy may also include incentives in the future for brand owners to redesign their packaging to make it more recyclable and include recycled content.
By facilitating more mechanical recycling and a new advanced plastics recycling industry in Australia, SPSA is working towards a circular, high value market for soft plastics — reducing material from entering landfill or the environment.
By facilitating more mechanical recycling and a new advanced plastics recycling industry in Australia, SPSA aims to work towards a circular, high value market for soft plastics — and ultimately, less landfill.
