When REDcycle, Australia’s flagship soft plastics recycling program, collapsed in 2022, it left more than just a gaping hole in our green credentials.
It also left behind a mountain—over 11,000 tonnes, to be precise—of soft plastics that everyday Australians had dutifully dropped into supermarket bins, believing they were doing the right thing for the planet.
Instead, those bags, wrappers, and bread tags were quietly stockpiled in warehouses, out of sight and out of mind.
So, what became of this Everest of plastic waste? And what does it mean for the future of recycling in Australia?
The Redcycle fallout: A national wake-up call
For years, REDcycle was the go-to solution for recycling soft plastics—those tricky items like chip packets and bread bags that can’t go in your yellow bin.
Shoppers at Coles and Woolworths would stuff their bags full of these plastics, drop them in the collection bins, and walk away with a clear conscience.
But when REDcycle folded, it was revealed that much of this plastic hadn’t been recycled at all. Instead, it was hidden away in warehouses, waiting for a solution that never came.
The revelation was a blow to public trust. Many felt betrayed, and the supermarkets faced a PR nightmare. The question on everyone’s lips: what now?
A rare alliance: Supermarkets join forces
In an unusual move, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) gave Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI the green light to work together—setting aside their fierce rivalry to tackle the soft plastics crisis.
Thus, the Soft Plastics Taskforce was born, charged with finding a way to deal with the mountain of waste and, hopefully, restore some faith in the system.
Progress was slow at first. By mid-2023, the Taskforce admitted that most of the stockpiled plastics were still languishing in storage.
But now, less than a year later, there’s finally some good news: the stockpile has been halved, with 5,500 tonnes recycled and just three sites remaining—two in Victoria and one in South Australia.
According to the Taskforce, all other states have cleared their stockpiles, with Victoria expected to finish by the end of 2025 and South Australia by mid-2026. It’s a significant step forward, but it’s also a sobering reminder of how much work remains.
The bigger picture: Australia’s soft plastics problem
While the recycling of 5,500 tonnes is a win, it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the 538,000 tonnes of soft plastics Australia produces every year.
Our recycling infrastructure simply isn’t equipped to handle the sheer volume, and for now, most soft plastics still end up in landfill.
Some local councils have trialled collecting soft plastics in yellow bins, and Woolworths is rolling out in-store collection points, aiming for 500 locations in the next year. But these are small-scale solutions to a massive problem.
What happens to recycled soft plastics?
When soft plastics are recycled, they can be transformed into a surprising array of products: concrete additives, asphalt, wall panelling, street furniture, and even flower pots.
These innovations are promising, but they require a steady supply of clean, sorted plastics—and a robust recycling industry to process them.
As Australia continues to navigate the complexities of soft plastics recycling, it’s clear that the issue involves multiple factors and perspectives. Finding effective and sustainable solutions requires ongoing discussion and community input.
What are your thoughts on the current state of soft plastics recycling? Have you noticed any changes or challenges in your local area? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Also read: How much of your aluminium can, glass jar or plastic bottle has been recycled?
I can’t understand why we use soft plastics for packaging anyway. We never used them years ago. Go back to brown paper and cardboard and glass bottles etc. BAN SOFT PLASTICS.
I have Curby in my area. They supply yellow bags to put my plastic in then that goes in the yellow bin and is removed at the other end and Curby deal with it. Less pre packaged food would be excellent. I try to limit what I buy in plastic.