New soft plastic stockpiles discovered in Australia after REDcycle scandal

Stockpile of plastic in a warehouse in Melbourne, Australia (Image credit: EPA).

11 Apr 2023 --- Fourteen new secret plastic stockpiles from the failed REDcycle plastic collection scheme have been found. The discovery marks the first time sites were uncovered in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, Australia.

The Australian government has found 44 stockpile locations, up from the 32 known in February. Previously, piles were found in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria and South Australia.

The estimated amount of stored soft plastics, initially totaling 12,350 metric tons, has fallen to 11,000 metric tons. However, it has also been reported that officials still need to reveal an updated plastic tonnage figure.

REDcycle, run by RG Programs and Services, could face a fine of over AUD$165,000 (US$109,925) after a charge from The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria.

Coles and Woolworths are still figuring out where to put soft plastic stockpiles left by REDcycle.Discovering stockpiles
RG Programs and Services was ordered by a court to be wound up while Coles and Woolworths officially took over the company’s stockpiled soft plastics after its failed recycling scheme. The takeover followed a Soft Plastics Taskforce with the two supermarkets and Aldi.

When REDcycle was suspended initially, the company did not provide information on the stockpile locations and volumes to Woolworths and Coles – therefore, they have been slowly uncovered over recent months.

“We’re assessing logistics and warehousing arrangements for each stockpile on a case-by-case basis, as we continue to discuss recycling options with several reputable processors overseas,” an Australian governmental spokesperson told Nine newspaper.

“Simultaneously, we are working through the Soft Plastics Taskforce to develop a new in-store recycling program to fill the gap left by REDcycle’s collapse, and we look forward to seeing contributions by other brands and retailers which produce soft plastics.”

Where to put the plasticThe Albanese government says it would grant an exemption to allow Coles, Woolworths and Aldi to send the plastic offshore for recycling.
After the stockpiling was uncovered, REDcycle CEO Liz Kasell said the company had been struggling to keep up with demand, with a 350% surge in people recycling plastic products.

At that time, Kasell told us that “holding soft plastics in stock is not a perfect solution, but REDcycle decided to hold material in the short term, at great personal expense to the organization, because they are fundamentally and profoundly committed to keeping the material out of landfills.”

In a report issued last month, Coles and Woolworths said it set a target of 2023 for a pilot restart of the in-store plastics collection. However, there is a need for more local capacity in Australia to process the plastics. An expansion beyond pilot projects in limited areas could take until 2024 or 2025.

The supermarkets warned that setting up a new national scheme could be a slow process and are looking into shipping waste overseas to free up limited domestic recycling capacity. Almost 2,000 supermarkets used the program.

The Albanese government has indicated it would grant an exemption to allow Coles, Woolworths and Aldi to send the plastic offshore for recycling despite the Morrison government’s national waste export ban in 2019.

By Sabine Waldeck

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