Since the REDcycle company fallout in early November, consumers have been told their soft plastics are no longer recyclable and instructed to place them in their waste bin.
But from next week, Monash residents will be given the opportunity to continue recycling their soft plastics via a city council initiative.
Partnering with APR Plastics, a recycling company based in Dandenong, Monash Council has set up a dedicated collection point for soft plastic waste, which will be operational at the Monash Recycling & Waste Centre.
The council is the first in the state to provide an alternative at a local level following the suspension of the REDcycle-run recycling scheme operating at major supermarkets, after the company announced its partners temporarily stopped accepting and processing the material.
Monash councillor Paul Klisaris stated “very pleased” about the council offering.
“I am enormously proud of Council for reacting so quickly to this crisis and finding a solution for our residents,” Cr Klisaris told Neos Kosmos.
“We are the first metro Council to offer this alternative to our community.
“It means those residents that collect their soft plastics for recycling can, from Monday 19 December, leave them for free at our Notting Hill Recycling and Waste Centre.”
The collection point is expected to be in place until mid-2023.
“While this is a short-term solution which we have been able to quickly implement, I look forward to working with other levels of government and our supermarkets to establish longer term solutions to capture and recycle soft plastics in Australia,” said Monash Mayor, Cr Tina Samardzija.
Since the REDcycle program suspension there have been increased advocacy calls for government and industry stakeholders to address the lack of recycling infrastructure investment in the soft plastics sector.
“Monash Council calls for leadership from other levels of government and our supermarkets on how we do this with soft plastics, as the current system is unsustainable,” said Cr Tina Samardzija.
The collection site for soft plastics recycling will operate at the Monash Recycling & Waste Centre at 380 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill from Monday 19 December.
The service is open to Monash residents only.
For further information on the initiative visit www.monash.vic.gov.au/About-Us/News/Monash-first-to-deliver-soft-plastics-recycling-option-for-residents-following-suspension-of-RedCycle
